Flights were grounded and around 7,50,000 people evacuated from central Philippines on Monday as typhoon Melor brought heavy rain and winds to coastal parts of the island country. Schools remained closed on Monday, and ferries and fishing boats were prohibited from going out. On Monday morning, winds reached up to 205 kmph, reported CNN. Around 8,000 people were stranded in ports after boat operations were stopped when the typhoon hit the northern tip of the island.

Melor was reportedly on a path similar to typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines in 2013 and killed around 8,000 people. AccuWeather meteorologist Adam Douty said Melor is not the super-typhoon it was expected to be, but still poses a major threat to the area. It is expected to cause flooding, landslides, storm surges, and to disrupt communications.