From Philippines we hear that thousands of people have been evacuated and government offices have been closed as Typhoon Noru hits its eastern islands.

Officials said it has caused gusts of up to two hundred and forty kilometers per hour  on the main island Luzon, where more than half of the country’s one hundred and ten million population live, warnings of serious flooding in areas of the capital, Manila.

Forecasters say the storm experienced an “explosive intensification” as it made landfall west of Luzon which could cause landslides, flash flooding and dangerous storm surges.