The Red Cross is estimating that Typhoon Goni, which slammed into the Philippines on Sunday may have damaged 90% of the buildings in the first town it struck.
The Philippines Red Cross said an assessment suggested that Virac, which is home to 70,000 people, had been severely damaged by Typhoon Goni.
At least 16 people were killed after the storm made landfall on Sunday on Catanduanes island as a super typhoon.
Goni has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.
Civil defence officials estimate about 370,000 people have been displaced by the storm and tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, though the capital Manila was largely spared.
