Typhoon Usagi had sustained winds of up to 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph) when it slammed into the coastal town of Baggao in Cagayan province at the northern tip of Luzon,

Typhoon Usagi slammed into the Philippines' already disaster-ravaged north on Thursday, as authorities rushed to evacuate thousands of people from coastal areas.

The fifth major storm in three weeks is approaching the Philippines, prompting more largescale evacuations and a United Nations request for emergency funds to help the government ease the plight of hard-hit villagers.