List: 56 'critical' areas due to 'Hagupit

MANILA, Philippines - The government on Wednesday listed 56 areas considered as "critical" due to the threat of Typhoon "Hagupit."

According to the list, which was shared on Twitter by state-run Panahon.TV, 44 areas are under alert level "C" and may experience heavy to intense rain and winds of 95-110 kilometers per hour (kph).

These areas would suffer heavy damage to agriculture, moderate to heavy disruption of electrical power and some large trees may be uprooted.

Areas under alert level "B" may experience moderate to heavy rainfall, winds of 30-60 kph and moderate damage to agriculture. Few large trees may be uprooted and some iron roofing may fall off.

Those under alert level "A" may expect also expect moderate to heavy rainfall and winds of 30-45 kph.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration PAGASA) spotted Hagupit at 1,543 kilometers east of Davao City at 10 a.m. today.

Hagupit was bearing maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gusts of 170 kph. It was moving west northwest at 30 kph.

PAGASA expects the strong typhoon to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday and make landfall over Eastern Visayas by Saturday.

In a televised press briefing, Defense Undersecretary Alexander Pama said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has been placed under red alert in preparation for the approaching typhoon.