Over 70,000 evacuated, officials on alert as Typhoon Kalmaegi set to hit Philippines with 120 kmph wind speed

Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate to safer grounds by officials in The Philippines on Monday as a typhoon approached from the Pacific and was set to make a landfall in a region hit by some of the country's deadliest storms.

Typhoon Kalmaegi, also called Tino, was approaching the Philippine coast and was forecast to slam the shore later on Monday, as authorities warned that torrential rains could batter the region. Officials also warned about waves surging up to 10 feet as the storm hits.

Typhoon Kalmaegi: When and how will the storm strike?

When seen last, Typhoon Kalmaegi was located about 235 kilometres ast of the town of Guiuan in Eastern Samar province, with sustained winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 150 kph.

Locally called Tino, Typhoon Kalmaegi is likely to blow westward overnight and strike the central island provinces on Tuesday. It is also expected to hit Cebu, which is still recovering from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit on September 30.

Kalmaegi was expected to further strengthen over the Philippine Sea before making landfall in Guiuan town or nearby municipalities.

Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Kalmaegi approaches

As Kalmaegi approaches, Eastern Samar Gov. RV Evardone said he has issued mandatory evacuation orders to people in the area from Monday. Army troops, police, firefighters and disaster-mitigation contingents are helping in the evacuation.

In total, more than 70,000 people in the coastal towns of Guiuan, Mercedes and Salcedo were ordered to move to evacuation centres, concrete houses pr buildings that have been certified as strong enough to bear the impact of the typhoon.

“Evacuations are ongoing in Palo and Tanauan,” said Leyte disaster official Roel Montesa.

Palo and Tanauan were hit by storm surges in 2013, when Super Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people.

In neighbouring Samar island, civil defence official Randy Nicart said 10-feet high tidal surges were predicted.

"Some local governments are resorting to forced evacuations, including Guiuan town, where the storm is likely to make landfall," he said.

“Nobody’s complaining among the residents because of their experience with Yolanda. They know it’s better to be safe than sorry,” The Associated Press said quoting Evardone.

Disaster-response agencies, including the coast guard, have been put on alert.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, routinely striking disaster-prone areas where millions live in poverty.

With Typhoon Tino or Kalmaegi, the archipelago country has already reached that average, state weather service specialist Charmaine Varilla told AFP, adding that at least "three to five more" storms could be expected by December's end.