(CNN) The number of people confirmed dead since Typhoon Phanfone hit the Philippines on Christmas Eve has risen to 28, as thousands of people affected by the storm remain in temporary evacuation shelters, authorities said Friday.

Phanfone, known locally as Typhoon Ursula, first made landfall on Eastern Samar province on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and storm surges. It hit as the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane, packing sustained wind speeds of 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour, with gusts of 195 kph (121 mph).

Iloilo City on Panay Island in the Western Visayas has the highest number of casualties, with 13 people dead, the agency said.

Workers pull a fallen electric pylon damaged at the height of Typhoon Phanfone in Salcedo town in Eastern Samar province on December 26, 2019.

More than 185,000 people have been affected by the typhoon with over 43,000 taking refuge in evacuation centers, the NDRRMC said Friday.

Read More