Nearly 100,000 evacuated after typhoon slams Philippines

A powerful typhoon slammed into the southeastern Philippines on Thursday, toppling trees, ripping tin roofs and knocking down power when it blew across island provinces where nearly 100,000 people have been evacuated.

Coast guard personnel were rescuing residents stranded by chest-deep waters in a southern province. In southern Cagayan de Oro city, footage showed rescuers helping stranded locals to safety in an improvised floating device. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage. Disaster-response officials said about 10,000 villages lie in the projected path of the typhoon.

the typhoon is one of the strongest to hit the country this year. Several domestic flights have been canceled and schools and workplaces were shut in the most vulnerable areas, the government's disaster-response agency said.