The Philippines is bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Mangkhut, expected to make landfall early Saturday morning.
Businesses and residents on Luzon, an island home to millions, were making last minute preparations as forecasters warned of wind gusts as high as 255 kilometers per hour.
Mangkhut is expected to cause widespread damage to infrastructure, agriculture and livelihoods within its 900 kilometer diameter, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement Friday.
Philippine Red Cross specialists have been sent to areas likely to be hit by Mangkhut, ready to assess damage and deliver immediate assistance once it is safe, the statement said.
The Philippines began evacuating thousands of people Thursday, while more than four million people are at risk from the storm.
The Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center categorizes Mangkhut as a super typhoon with powerful winds and gusts equivalent to a category 5 Atlantic hurricane.
Typhoon Mangkhut is the 15th storm to hit the Philippines this year. On average the Philippines experiences about 20 a year.
No comments:
Post a Comment