First pictures: Typhoon Vongfong wreaks havoc in the Philippines

Residents brave rains and strong wind as they walk past uprooted trees along a highway in Can-avid town, Eastern Samar province, central Philippines Typhoon Vongfong makes landfall.

A motorist braving rains and strong wind maneouvers along a highway littered with fallen coconut trees in Can-avid town, Eastern Samar province, central Philippines as Typhoon Vongfong makes landfall.

Residents carrying their belongings and wearing face masks, arrive at a school compound serving as temporary shelter in Sorsogon town, Bicol region. Because of the twin threat of the storm and the virus, evacuation centres in the central Philippines will only accept half their capacity and evacuees will have to wear facemasks.

A roof section up on a tree, after being ripped out by Typhoon Vongfong (local codename "Ambo"). Photo taken in Eastern Samar, where Typhoon Vongfong first landed and unleashed its full might on Thursday (May 14).

A scene in Eastern Samar during the landfall of Typhoon Vongfong (Ambo) on May 14, 2020.

First pictures of the damage wrought by Typhoon Vongfong in Eastern Samar, Philippines

Dark clouds over Sorsogon, which lies on the pathway of Typhoon Vongfong now ravaging Samar island.

Quiet before the storm. Dark clouds gather above Sorsogon province, as residents on the path Typhoon Vongfong hope and pray for it to change course northwards, into the Pacific.

The typhoon, which packs gusts of up to to 190 km/h, is expected to wreak havoc in northern Samar as well as the main island of Luzon from May 14 (Thursday) until Saturday (May 16).

Skies above Bulan town, Sorsogon province in eastern Philippines, which lies on the typhoon's treacherous pathway taken 5.30pm on Thursday, May 14, 2020.

Coming storm. Fishing boats moored near the mouth of a river to avoid the open sea as dark clouds gather in Sorsogon, in eastern Philippines. Thyphoon Vongfong has started pummeling the neighbouring province of Northern Samar, across the San Bernardino Strait from Thursday (May 14).

Storm clouds brought by Typhoon Vongfong (Ambo) block the sunset from Sorsogon Bay, in eastern Philippines.

Foreboding clouds. The storm is seen triggering floods and landslides, as well as strong winds to parts of eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned.

Residents reinforce their houses with nylon ropes tied to concrete road separator posts near the shore of the sea-side town of Bulan, Sorsogon, as part they prepare for the typhoon.

Bulan, Sorsogon residents reinforce their houses ahead of the typhoon on Thursday, May 14, 2020.