Strong winds and waves batter the Philippines as Tropical Storm Auring approaches

Tropical Storm Auring brought strong wind and waves as it approached the Philippines today (February 20).

Tropical Storm Auring brought strong wind and waves as it approached the Philippines today (February 20).

Footage showed a beach resort being flooded by a storm surge in Cateel, Davao Oriental, shortly after 9 am local time.

The Philippines state weather bureau said the storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 80 kph.

Meteorologists said it was last spotted 440 kilometres East Southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 4 pm local time.

Although the storm has weakened from a typhoon, locals said they were experiencing severe winds battering the coastal regions.

Auring is expected to make landfall on Sunday (February 21) and hundreds of families have already been evacuated.