Manila - Hundreds of passengers were stranded in the eastern Philippines Friday as a typhoon battered the area, forcing coast guard officials to halt sea travel, a government agency said.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said about 800 people were stuck in ports in the eastern provinces of Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Samar, Leyte and Biliran.

The provinces have been placed under a storm alert due to heavy rains and strong winds brought about by typhoon Fengshen, which was packing maximum sustain winds of 120 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour.

Fengshen, moving west to north-east at 19 kilometres per hour, is expected to make landfall in Eastern Samar province, 650 kilometres south-east of Manila, later Friday.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered NDCC chairman and Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro to issue warnings to all provinces that will be along Fengshen's path.

The military was also placed on standby for emergency evacuation activities, while the social welfare department increased its stockpiles of food and medicine.

In February, at least 36 people were killed in the eastern provinces due to landslides and flashfloods triggered by week-long heavy rains. (dpa)