Manila [Philippines]: Tens of thousands of people residing in the central and southern Philippines are being evacuated as typhoon Rai approaches the country, a media report said. Typhoon Rai is undergoing “rapid intensification” as it barrels towards the island province of Dinagat and Surigao provinces in the mid-eastern section of the country as of 0500 GMT, reported Al Jazeera citing the latest report from the Philippine weather bureau, PAGASA. Rai — which is the 50th typhoon to hit the country this year — has been declared as a super typhoon by the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC). PAGASA has advised sailors to remain in port or to take shelter emphasising that the sea conditions are risky for all types of vessels. The wind speed has accelerated to 185 km (115 miles) per hour near the centre with gustiness of up to 230 km (143 miles) per hour, moving west-northwest as of 0200 GMT, PAGASA said earlier. Eight regions in the Philippines have been placed on the highest level in emergency preparedness and response protocol, according to the national disaster mitigation agency, NDRRMC. More than 30 million people reside in these eight regions, which are located in the central and southern group of islands in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, according to Al Jazeera.
