A powerful typhoon was lashing the northernmost islands of the Philippines Monday, prompting officials to evacuate villagers, shut down schools and inter-island ferries and warn of “potentially very destructive” damage to coastal villages.

Mapped: Typhoon Krathon heads to Taiwan after lashing Philippines - Meteorologists warn it is ‘rare’ for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit on Taiwan’s western plains

Taiwan’s authorities shuttered some schools and canceled domestic flights as an intensifying Typhoon Krathon moves toward the island while bringing violent wind and rain to the Philippines.

Typhoon Krathon was last tracked over the coastal waters of Balintang island off the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes with sustained winds of up to 175 kph (109 mph) and gusts of up to 215 kph (133 mph),

Typhoon Krathon pounded a remote group of tiny Philippine islands near Taiwan on Monday, cutting power and communication services, the state weather service and officials said.The Philippines' weather service said in its latest bulletin that "significant to severe impacts from typhoon-force winds are possible" in Batanes,

Tropical storm Krathon is headed for the Philippines as authorities place northern parts of the main Luzon island on alert, saying there’s a high chance of rapid intensification and the possibility it could become a super typhoon.

A powerful typhoon was lashing the northernmost islands of the Philippines on Monday, prompting officials to evacuate villagers, shut down schools and inter-island ferries and warn of "potentially very destructive" damage to coastal villages.