A popular tourist island is among one of the areas left devastated after a powerful typhoon ripped through the Philippines on Thursday, December 16.

The typhoon, named Rai, is the 15th major weather disturbance to hit the country this year.

The typhoon intensified rapidly on Thursday morning and was classified as a super typhoon with sustained winds of 120 mph near the center and gusts up to 168 mph. This designation is similar to a category 5 hurricane in the United States.

Reports are that 23 people have been killed and 300,000 people were forced to flee their homes and beachfront properties as typhoon Rai ravaged the southern and central regions of the archipelago knocking out communications and electricity towers in many areas.

The Coast Guard also noted that the situation in the South was dire as rescuers were seen taking a baby in a plastic basin to safety.

Rubber boats were also used to ferry people to safety as waters rose in Cagayan de Ono, a city comprising of 730,000 people.

The Office of Civil Defense in Manila said that nearly 100,000 people had been moved to safer ground.