A fast-moving typhoon forced thousands to flee to safety in provinces south of the Philippine capital Monday, flooding rural villages and ripping off roofs.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from Typhoon Molave, but authorities reported at least one person was missing and seven others were rescued after their yacht sank off Batangas province south of Manila.
The powerful storm had sustained winds of 125 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph.
At least 25,000 villagers were displaced due to heavy rain and floods with about 20,000 taking shelter in schools and government buildings that were turned into evacuation centers, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
Molave has moved out to sea and could next make landfall near Da Nang, Vietnam.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
