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Typhoon Haima Has Philippines on Edge Philippines on Edge as Typhoon Haima Roars Ashore
(about 5 hours later)
The strongest storm to threaten the Philippines in years is expected to make landfall Wednesday, prompting thousands of people to evacuate their homes and government and aid agencies to prepare for a potential humanitarian disaster. A potentially devastating typhoon made landfall in the Philippines late Wednesday night with slightly less force than was feared.
Typhoon Haima is a Category 5 storm, according to the country’s weather bureau, and it comes days after Typhoon Sarika dumped heavy rains and lashed the northern part of the country with fierce winds. Typhoon Haima came ashore over Peñablanca, Cagayan Province, in the northeast corner of the island of Luzon at 11 p.m. local time with sustained winds of 140 m.p.h., the country’s weather bureau said on Twitter. The storm’s intensity had dropped from a Category 5 to a Category 4, according to meteorologists tracking the typhoon.
Disaster officials said there were no confirmed casualties from that earlier storm, according to Reuters, and it swept over land quickly to the South China Sea, where it lost intensity. But Typhoon Haima poses a more serious threat to the country’s major rice-growing region. Government and aid agencies prepared for the threat of Typhoon Haima, coming days after another storm, Typhoon Sarika, dumped heavy rains and lashed the northern part of the country with fierce winds.
Residents of the northern and eastern parts of the main island of Luzon were put on alert: Evacuations were ordered, some flights were canceled and the Philippine Coast Guard banned sea travel and fishing.Residents of the northern and eastern parts of the main island of Luzon were put on alert: Evacuations were ordered, some flights were canceled and the Philippine Coast Guard banned sea travel and fishing.
“The country’s major river and catch basins are also located in Luzon, which could overflow if heavy rains continue,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement. President Rodrigo Duterte, on a state visit to China, said in Beijing that Filipinos in the storm’s path should heed the warnings of disaster officials.
Haima is the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, Reuters reported. An average of 20 typhoons hit the country every year, according to The Associated Press, compounding the fear of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. “We only pray that we be spared destruction such as in the previous past which brought agony and suffering to our people, but we are ready,” Mr. Duterte said Wednesday at a news conference, The Associated Press reported.
Haima is the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, Reuters reported. An average of 20 typhoons hit the country every year, according to The A.P., compounding the fear of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Super Typhoon Haiyan ripped across the central Philippines in 2013, killing more than 7,300 people and decimating the port city of Tacloban. Much of the damage and many of the casualties were a result of the massive surge after the storm’s pounding rains and catastrophic winds.Super Typhoon Haiyan ripped across the central Philippines in 2013, killing more than 7,300 people and decimating the port city of Tacloban. Much of the damage and many of the casualties were a result of the massive surge after the storm’s pounding rains and catastrophic winds.