Philippines raises storm warning alert in 24 provinces

The Philippines weather bureau on Saturday raised storm warning alert in 24 provinces even as Typhoon Maysak weakened further overnight as it moves closer to the country's eastern coast.
Typhoon Maysak, is still packing a maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 160 kph, the weather bureau said.
Moving at a speed of 22 kph, the storm was expected to make landfall over the coast between the north-eastern provinces of Aurora and Isabela on Sunday morning, the agency said.
The typhoon was expected to bring moderate to heavy rains and storm surges of up to two metres along the coasts of the affected areas, dpa reported.
The weather bureau advised residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning to be on alert against landslides, flash floods and storm surges.
Local officials said they were prepared to enforce forced evacuation if necessary to ensure the safety of everyone.
The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 cyclones every year.
Maysak is the third this year, but the first in decades to hit during the Easter holiday.