1.17 mn evacuated as Super Typhoon Fung-Wong slams Philippines

Manila [Philippines], November 10: Super Typhoon Fung-Wong made landfall over the northern Philippines on Sunday, bringing destructive winds, torrential rains and storm surges that forced the evacuation of over 1.17 million people and killed at least two, officials said.
The typhoon hit the province of Aurora, located on the eastern coast of the northern Luzon island, at 9.10pm (1310 GMT), the country's weather bureau said. "Destructive typhoon-force winds continue to affect northern and central Luzon as (Fung-Wong) traverseas the Luzon landmass," the bureau's latest advisory said.
Metro Manila was also lashed by strong winds and heavy rain.
Fung-Wong is forecast to turn northeastward towards the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday and make landfall over western Taiawn on Thursday, the weather bureau said. It would "rapidly weaken over the Taiwan landmass before emerging over the waters near Ryukyu Islands," it added.
The super typhoon landed in a province that hugs the northern island's eastern coast and is some 140 kilometres from the capital, Manila, at its southern most point. Forecasters had predicted that the typhoon would likely hit there first. Prior to the landfall, senior weather specialist John Grender Almario urged residents to move to safer and higher areas if they have not done so yet.
"Let us secure ourselves and follow the directives of the local government ... and let us continue to pray," he said. "Please do not go out just to take a video ... The threat of storm surges is no joke."The weather bureau warned that "there is a high risk of life-threatening and damaging storm surge with peak heights exceeding [3 metres] within the next 48 hours." The super typhoon hit the Philippines almost a week after another powerful typhoon devastated the country's central provinces and left 224 people dead.
The national disaster agency said one death was reported due to drowning in flash floods in the town of Viga in Catanduanes province, the first area to feel "life-threatening conditions" caused by Fung-Wong, according to the weather bureau.
A 54-year-old woman was also reported dead in Catbalogan City in Samar province, after a makeshift wooden bridge she was on collapsed, the city's disaster agency said.
Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator of the national civil defence office, said more than 1.17 million people evacuated their houses in eastern, central and northern provinces, including the capital region of Metro Manila.
"We again call on the public to prepare, follow warnings and implement pre-emptive measures as the typhoon nears," he said. "We are asking everyone to cooperate, but remain calm. We have protocols to follow and this is for our safety."
Fung-Wong was packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour (km/h) and gusts of up to 230 km/h, as it moved west-north-westward at 30 km/h, the weather bureau said.
The super typhoon maintained its strength despite the landfall, but the weather bureau said it could weaken significantly as it traverses the mountainous terrain of northern Luzon.
Fung-Wong also battered the eastern region of Bicol, where electricity was out in five of the six provinces, including Catanduanes, as transmission lines tripped and some electricity posts were toppled. Some roads were blocked by fallen trees and other debris. More than 300 domestic flights were cancelled on Sunday and Monday, while school classes and work in the affected areas have been suspended.
Just last Monday, Typhoon Kalmaegi dumped more than a month's worth of rain overnight in the central Philippines, causing one of the worst floods in recent years in the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.
The floods swept away houses, cars and even container vehicles, leaving communities devastated and covered in sludge. The national disaster agency said 109 people were still missing, while 526 people were injured.
The Philippines is hit by an average of about 20 tropical cyclones per year. One of the strongest storms to ever hit the country was Super Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, which killed more than 6,300 people.
Source: Qatar Tribune