A POWERFUL typhoon lashed the northern islands of the Philippines today.

The tropical cyclone prompted officials to evacuate villagers, shut down schools and inter-island ferries and warn of “potentially very destructive” damage to coastal villages.

Typhoon Krathon was last tracked over the coastal waters of Balintang island, off the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes, with sustained winds of up to 109mph and gusts of up to 133mph.

The slow-moving storm was blowing westward and could strengthen into a super typhoon when it veers north-east today toward Taiwan, government forecasters said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage

Guilmar Cabejo, a police officer on the island of Sabtang in typhoon-prone Batanes, said the streets were deserted in the town of more than 1,800 people as the ferocious wind rattled roofs, walls and trees.

“There’s nobody outside, zero, because the wind is so strong.

“Nobody could stand normally outside in this wind, it will force anybody down to the ground,” said Mr Cabejo.