145,000 evacuate due to Typhoon Glenda

Residents troop to an evacuation center as typhoon Rammasun is approaching to the northeastern Philippines, in Legazpi city, Albay province about 340 kilometers (212 miles) southeast of Manila, Philippines Tuesday, July 15, 2014. AP

MANILA, Philippines–Over 145,000 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in anticipation of Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) in affected parts of the country.

A report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that as of 7 p.m. Tuesday, 33,065 families, or 145,627 persons, evacuated to safer grounds hours.

In Bicol Region, 3,310 families, or 136,852 persons, were evacuated; in Allen town in Samar 1,450 families, or 7,250 persons.

Glenda made its first landfall around 5 p.m Tuesday on Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay; and later in Tabaco City, also in Albay, at 6:30 p.m.

A television footage showed heavy rains and powerful winds pounding Bicol coasts.

Albay and Camarines Sur provinces were placed under state of calamity.

Some 4,649 passengers were also stranded in different ports as of 7 p.m.