Thousand of homes have been evacuated in the Philippines after a strong typhoon struck the pandemic-hit country.
Authorities are relocating some 200,000 people while still trying to maintain some sort of social distancing in overcrowded emergency shelters.
Typhoon Vongfong, the first to hit the country this year, slammed into the eastern edge of the province, packing winds of 96mph and gusts of up to 118mph, before moving northwards, the state weather bureau said.
It came as the Philippines tries to fight Covid-19 outbreaks, largely by urging Filipinos to stay in their homes and prohibiting gatherings that can set off infections.
Overcrowding in emergency shelters is a common scene in the region which is hit by about 20 typhoons and storms annually on top of regular volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
But many officials faced a difficult dilemma on how to shield villagers from the added threat of coronavirus.
Footage from the country showed fierce rain and wind swaying coconut trees, rattling tin roofs and obscuring visibility in Eastern Samar, where some towns lost power.
Jipapad, which is prone to landslides and flooding, was one of the areas in the typhoon's path.
The only evacuation centres for its 8,000 villagers are a gymnasium and the town hall where residents could seek shelter.
The town’s mayor Benjamin Ver, who is also its only doctor, said he has secured enough face masks to protect his villagers from the virus at the latter location.
Mr Ver said observing social distancing “is almost impossible” if all the villagers are cramped in the town hall.
More than 11,600 infections, including 772 deaths, have been reported in the country.
