Typhoon Rai intensifies to Cat 5 storm as it slams Philippines

A Philippine Coast Guard personnel assists a resident in their evacuation due to flooding caused by Typhoon Rai in Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines, December 16, 2021. Philippine Coast Guard/ Handout via REUTERS

MANILA (Reuters) - Typhoon Rai rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm before making landfall in the southern Philippines on Thursday, forcing mass evacuations and flight cancellations as floodwaters reached chest-high in low-lying communities.

Rai, the 15th typhoon to enter Philippine territory this year, hit the holiday island of Siargao in the southern province of Surigao del Norte, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 195 km (121 miles) per hour, the Philippine weather bureau said.