“Ursula” topples the giant Christmas tree at the Ormoc City town plaza. (John Kevin Pilapil)

(8 a.m. update: Typhoon “Ursula” maintained its strength while moving generally westward off the coast of Capiz. The eye was spotted at 30 kilometers northwest of Roxas City, Capiz, or 95 km south southeast of Romblon, Romblon, at 7 a.m.)

Typhoon “Ursula” is bringing destructive winds and intense rainfall over the Visayas and was over the Jintolo Channel, north of Iloilo, as of 5 a.m. of Christmas Day.

State weather bureau PAGASA said Southern Masbate, Capiz and northeastern Iloilo are being battered as of Wednesday morning while Romblon, Aklan and northern Antique will be affected by the eyewall in the coming hours.

The passage of the eye in some of the aforementioned areas will bring calm conditions but as soon as the eye moves out, violent conditions will resume.

Occasional to frequent heavy with intermittent intense rains will prevail over Masbate, extreme northern Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands and Mindoro Provinces.

Light to moderate rains with isolated heavy rainshowers, meanwhile, are being experienced in the Bicol Region, rest of Visayas, CALABARZON, Marinduque, Aurora and the northern portion of mainland Palawan.

Metro Manila and Bataan, both under Signal no. 1, will have moderate to strong winds between Wednesday morning and afternoon.

and southern Occidental Mindoro (Calintaan

Extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan Islands (Daanbantayan

the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island

the rest of northern Cebu including Camotes Islands (San Francisco