Typhoon Nock-Ten, which has brought gusts of up to 235 kilometers an hour, hit the Philippines late on Sunday, disrupting Christmas celebrations and forcing tens of thousands to flee to safety.

The storm made landfall in the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Sunday evening. There were no immediate official reports of damage or casualties from the storm, one of the strongest to hit the country this year. Over 100,000 people were moved from Catanduanes and the nearby Bicol peninsula, after experts warned of possible huge waves, floods and landslides.

The typhoon was forecast to sweep west and threaten the country's most densely populated areas including the capital Manila by Monday morning.