Super typhoon "Durian" hits eastern Philippines
By Maria Twink,WNS Philippines Correspondent
MANILA - Super typhoon Durian slammed into the eastern Philippines on Thursday, bringing torrential rains and powerful winds as it headed towards Manila. Packing winds of 190 kilometres (118 miles) an hour, Durian tore through the eastern island of Catanduanes, about 410 kilometres (254 miles) east of Manila, just before dawn destroying property and uprooting trees. Power lines were brought down, causing widespread blackouts throughout the eastern Bicol region including the provincial capital Legaspi City, the civil defence office said. In Manila, which was overcast, all schools were closed and emergency services put on alert. Durian is expected to hit Manila on Friday before moving into the South China Sea later in the day. So far there have been no reports of deaths or injuries.
The local government in Catanduanes and nearby provinces evacuated hundreds of residents from low-lying coastal areas, the civil defence office said. The typhoon is moving west at 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) per hour, packing gusts of 225 kilometres (140 miles) per hour, the government weather station said. The highest level of a four-step alert was raised over Catanduanes and other provinces in the eastern Bicol region while the third-level alert was raised in the nearby provinces of Sorsogon, Quezon and surrounding islands. The second level storm alert is in force over the capital of Metropolitan Manila and surrounding provinces. Electrical services were cut in the eastern province of Camarines Sur as a precautionary measure in the event power lines are knocked down, the local power distributor said. Ferry services have been cancelled in Catanduanes and nearby provinces and small vessels have been barred from sailing in areas where lower storm alerts are in force, the coast guard warned. Some local airline flights to the affected region were also cancelled, local media reports said. Over a thousand people have been left stranded due to cancellation of several ferry trips, the coast guard said. In the Bicol region, where strong rains and winds were causing minor floods, schools have been readied to serve as evacuation centres while heavy equipment is in place to clear up roads in the event of landslides, officials said. Residents of low-lying areas were warned to be on alert for flash floods while those living on mountainsides were told to be on the lookout for landslides, the weather station said.
The Philippines is still recovering from typhoon Cimaron, the strongest cyclone to hit the country in more than 10 years, which left 38 people dead or missing late last month. Manila received a direct hit, the first in more than a decade, from typhoon Xangsane in September causing caused widespread damage and leaving wide parts of the city without electricity for days. By the time Xangsane left the Philippines, it left more than 200 people dead and a damages bill running into the millions of dollars.
posted by wnsworld @ 11:14 PM
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