Typhoon Ursula has made landfall at Salcedo, Eastern Samar at around 4:45pm (12:45 pm UAE Time) in the afternoon.
PAGASA said that more than 40 areas were under storm signs across the country.
Although weaker, Ursula was tracking a similar path as Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), the country’s deadliest cyclone on record which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013.
At least 13,395 passengers are also stranded in various sea ports in the Bicol region as of 12:00 noon, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The PCG said that more than 10,000 of these stranded passengers are bound to Visayas and Mindanao.
Several flights were also cancelled due to the Christmas typhoon.
