Over 500,000 evacuated in Philippines as typhoon approaches

About 500,000 people have been evacuated before the projected landfall of Typhoon Hagupit, locally known as Ruby, in central Philippines, a senior government official said Friday.

The department of the interior and local government conducted the forced evacuation in the face of approaching Hagupit, according to Corazon Soliman, secretary of the department of social welfare and development.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the typhoon is expected to make landfall Saturday evening over the Eastern or Northern Samar provinces in central Philippines, Xinhua reported.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director Alexander Pama said authorities will keep alerting though Hagupit has slightly weakened.

Hagupit's maximum sustained winds dropped to 195 km per hour from the previous 215 km per hour, according to the data released by PAGASA Friday.