Philippines evacuates coastal villages as super typhoon approaches en route for China

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines evacuated northern coastal villages, suspended ferry services and called in fishing boats on Friday as an approaching category-five storm, already labelled a super typhoon, gained strength on a path set for southern China.

With centre winds of 205 kph (127 mph) and gusts of up to 240 kph, Typhoon Usagi, the strongest storm to hit the Western Pacific this year, was moving northwest at 19 kph between the Philippines and Taiwan and headed for Hong Kong and south China.