Thousands of people were stranded in the Philippines on Friday after flights and sea travel were cancelled ahead of a powerful typhoon's expected landfall.
According to dpa, school classes were also suspended in central and eastern provinces being threatened by typhoon Hagupit, which gained strength as it moved closer to the Philippines.
The 18th cyclone to hit the country this year was packing maximum winds of 215 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 250 kph, the weather bureau said.
It slowed down and was moving west-northwest at 13 kph, it added.