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THOUSANDS STRANDED IN PHILIPPINES AHEAD OF SUPER TYPHOON HAGUPIT
BY GIRLIE LINAO, DPA
Thousands of people were stranded in the Philippines on Friday after flights and sea travel were cancelled ahead of a powerful typhoon's expected landfall.
School classes were also suspended in central and eastern provinces being threatened by typhoon Hagupit, which gained strength as it moved closer to the Philippines.
The 18th cyclone to hit the country this year was packing maximum winds of 215 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 250 kph, the weather bureau said.
It slowed down and was moving west-northwest at 13 kph, it added.
Hagupit, which is the Filipino word for "lash" or "whip," was expected to make landfall over the Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces on Saturday evening, later than initially forecasted.
It would exit the Philippines by Wednesday, the bureau said.
More than 2,200 people were stranded in 12 ports in the eastern and central Philippines after the coast guard prevented ships from sailing.
Dozens of domestic flights were also cancelled and diverted, the national disaster risk management council said.
The weather bureau said Hagupit was tracking almost the same path as super typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing last year.
But some forecasters warned that Hagupit might move higher and hit Manila, where authorities have also begun to make emergency preparations.
"We have alerted the people of Manila and we're ready," Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada said. "We all know that these typhoons can change direction anytime."
Workers folded huge billboards in many parts of Manila, while local officials also placed emergency and rescue units on alert.
In Tacloban City, which was worst hit by Haiyan on November 8, 2013, thousands of residents have evacuated to schools, churches and public gyms away from the coast.
Officials were checking the safety of the evacuation centres, many of which were destroyed or damaged during Haiyan's onslaught.
"We have to make sure that the evacuees will be safe at the evacuation centres and not put at a greater risk," said Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera.
Cabrera said relief supplies have also been positioned at areas where they would not be damaged or washed away by storm surges.
Weather forecasters said Hagupit, which has a 700-kilometre diameter, would cause storm surges as high as 5 metres. It was also expected to bring heavy rains over about 50 provinces.
Source : Sapa-dpa /mm
Date : 05 Dec 2014 08:36
BY GIRLIE LINAO, DPA
Thousands of people were stranded in the Philippines on Friday after flights and sea travel were cancelled ahead of a powerful typhoon's expected landfall.
School classes were also suspended in central and eastern provinces being threatened by typhoon Hagupit, which gained strength as it moved closer to the Philippines.
The 18th cyclone to hit the country this year was packing maximum winds of 215 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 250 kph, the weather bureau said.
It slowed down and was moving west-northwest at 13 kph, it added.
Hagupit, which is the Filipino word for "lash" or "whip," was expected to make landfall over the Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces on Saturday evening, later than initially forecasted.
It would exit the Philippines by Wednesday, the bureau said.
More than 2,200 people were stranded in 12 ports in the eastern and central Philippines after the coast guard prevented ships from sailing.
Dozens of domestic flights were also cancelled and diverted, the national disaster risk management council said.
The weather bureau said Hagupit was tracking almost the same path as super typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing last year.
But some forecasters warned that Hagupit might move higher and hit Manila, where authorities have also begun to make emergency preparations.
"We have alerted the people of Manila and we're ready," Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada said. "We all know that these typhoons can change direction anytime."
Workers folded huge billboards in many parts of Manila, while local officials also placed emergency and rescue units on alert.
In Tacloban City, which was worst hit by Haiyan on November 8, 2013, thousands of residents have evacuated to schools, churches and public gyms away from the coast.
Officials were checking the safety of the evacuation centres, many of which were destroyed or damaged during Haiyan's onslaught.
"We have to make sure that the evacuees will be safe at the evacuation centres and not put at a greater risk," said Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera.
Cabrera said relief supplies have also been positioned at areas where they would not be damaged or washed away by storm surges.
Weather forecasters said Hagupit, which has a 700-kilometre diameter, would cause storm surges as high as 5 metres. It was also expected to bring heavy rains over about 50 provinces.
Source : Sapa-dpa /mm
Date : 05 Dec 2014 08:36
