Typhoon Phanfone has led to a miserable Christmas Day for millions of inhabitants of the mostly Catholic nation of the Philippines.

Tens of thousands of people were stranded at ports or evacuation centers on Wednesday, and many residents were housebound as the storm wreaked destruction across the island nation.

The typhoon has destroyed thousands of homes and, while no deaths have yet been reported, rescuers say they have yet to reach many areas that are more isolated.

Read more: Why religious narratives are crucial to tackling climate change

"The aftermath of course made us sad because it's Christmas Day, but it doesn't feel like Christmas," one resident, Paul Sinco, told Reuters news agency. "But we're blessed to be safe," he added.

Many city areas were left destroyed or flooded

Thousands in temporary shelter

All in all 16,000 people spent the night in improvised shelters after the typhoon made ground on Tuesday. Schools, gyms and government buildings doubled up as overnight accommodation.

More than 4,000 people have been evacuated. Trees and wildlife are also being destroyed in the wake of the storm.

Winds have reached up to 120 km/h (75mph) in parts of the region. This is one of the most ferocious storms the south-east Asian nation has received since thousands died in 2013.

Little let-up in the aggressive weather conditions is expected in the coming days.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands Massive disruption Typhoon Kammuri has caused widespread disruption to life in the Philippines, shutting down schools, offices and transport amid fierce winds and heavy rain. Over 483,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Bicol and nearby provinces. Officials warned of storm surges and prolonged heavy rain.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands Not the first one this year Kammuri, locally called Tisoy, is the 20th cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, according to the weather bureau. It was expected to move past the country by Friday morning.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands Airport shut down The storm's potent gusts forced authorities to close Manila's international airport on Tuesday as a precaution. Nearly 500 flights were cancelled, and officials warned passengers not to come to the airport.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands Stranded travelers The Philippines' coast guard also suspended sea travel in the northeast, stranding thousands of travelers, cargo ships and smaller watercraft in the archipelago nation.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands Rescheduling games The Philippines is currently hosting thousands of Southeast Asian athletes for biennial regional games that opened on Saturday and run until December 11. The storm has forced organizers to postpone several events until later in the competition, among them surfing, kayak, windsurfing, polo, sailing, skateboarding and canoeing.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri displaces hundreds of thousands A disaster-prone nation The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year and has frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making the archipelago of more than 100 million people one of the world's most disaster-prone nations. The country's deadliest cyclone on record was Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013. Author: Srinivas Mazumdaru



Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

ed/aw (Reuters, AFP)