MANILA, Philippines, Oct 30, (AP): Villagers in northern Philippine provinces were forced to evacuate on Wednesday as a powerful typhoon approached the nation still reeling from a recent storm that left at least 182 dead and missing and emergency shelters crammed with displaced people. Typhoon Kong-rey was last tracked 350 kilometers (217 miles) east of northern Cagayan province, with sustained winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusting up to 230 kph (143 mph).

Forecasters said it could further strengthen at sea. It was blowing northwestward and was predicted to pass near the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes before slamming into southeastern Taiwan on Thursday. "We are still recovering from the two previous typhoon and storm and here we go again,” Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco told The Associated Press.

"We’re going around now to supervise the forced evacuation of people, specially those whose houses were severely damaged by the last storm,” Cayco said. Elsewhere across the northern Philippines, more than 300,000 people displaced last week by Tropical Storm Trami, remained in emergency shelters as the new typhoon approached, Office of Civil Defense officials said.

Forecasters also warned of a "life-threatening storm surge reaching 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 9.8 feet)” that could be whipped up by Kong-rey in low-lying coasts of Batanes and the nearby Babuyan cluster of islands. All ships and cargo vessels were advised to remain in ports and those at sea should seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who oversees disaster-response efforts, ordered the forced evacuation of people in high-risk areas threatened by Kong-rey, which is locally called Leon. "We always aim for zero casualty in the event of disasters, so we strongly urge the public to heed our protocols,” Teodoro said.