Powerful typhoon headed for Philippines strengthens; prompts evacuations

A powerful typhoon shifted and strengthened in an explosive intensification on Sunday, prompting evacuations from high-risk villages as it approached the northeastern Philippines where it might sideswipe the capital, officials said.

Typhoon Noru was swirling at sea about 175 kilometres (110 miles) east of Infanta town in Quezon province with sustained winds of 195 kilometres (121 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph) at midday. Forecasters expect it to smash into the coast later on Sunday.

While blowing toward the archipelago, Noru shifted southward as it was pushed down by a high-pressure area to its north.

It gained considerable strength from a storm that had sustained winds of 85 kph (53 mph) on Saturday to a super typhoon just 24 hours after in an explosive intensification at sea, Vicente Malano, who heads the country's weather agency, told The Associated Press.

Thousands of villagers were evacuated, some forcibly, from the typhoon's path, as well as from ...