700,000 evacuated as Typhoon Melor reaches Philippines

MANILA, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- More than 700,000 people were evacuated in the Philippines on Monday as Typhoon Melor reached sustained winds up to 130 mph.

The fierce storm, known locally as Nona, is bearing down on coastal areas with heavy winds and rain. Melor intensified rapidly over the weekend as it moved toward the eastern island of Samar, CNN reported.

The Philippine archipelago is under the threat of torrential rainfall, particularly in the densely populated region around Manila, the capital. About 725,000 people have been pre-emptively evacuated, the Philippine national disaster management agency said.

About 40 domestic flights have been canceled and many schools have been closed.

Credit to UPI

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