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Typhoon Mangkhut Updates: Philippines Braces for the Worst Typhoon Mangkhut Updates: Storm Slams into the Philippines
(35 minutes later)
Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in the Philippines on Friday, as Super Typhoon Mangkhut, a colossal storm more than 550 miles wide with maximum sustained wind speeds of 170 miles per hour, howled across the Pacific. Super Typhoon Manghut slammed into the Philippines early Saturday after thousands of people evacuated their homes to dodge the 550-mile wide storm, roaring across the Pacific with maximum sustained winds of 170 miles per hour.
The eye of Mangkhut, known as Ompong in the Philippines, was on course to make landfall in the early hours Saturday on the northern island of Luzon, the country’s rice and corn growing heartland, where more than four million people are at risk. The ferocity of the storm in some ways eclipsed Hurricane Florence on the other side of the world, pummeling the Mid-Atlantic Coast of the United States with life-threatening rains.
The eye of Mangkhut, known as Ompong in the Philippines, made landfall on the northern island of Luzon, the country’s rice and corn growing heartland, where more than four million people are at risk, early Saturday around 1:40 a.m.
The storm, gusting at speeds equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, passed the American territory of Guam on Thursday, knocking out 80 percent of the island’s electricity and downing trees and power lines. Catch up on the rest of our storm coverage.The storm, gusting at speeds equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, passed the American territory of Guam on Thursday, knocking out 80 percent of the island’s electricity and downing trees and power lines. Catch up on the rest of our storm coverage.
By Friday evening, the northern and central portions of Luzon were already feeling the strength of Mangkhut, even as the eye of the hurricane was hours away from making landfall. By Friday evening, the northern and central portions of Luzon were already feeling the strength of Mangkhut, even as the eye of the hurricane was hours away from making landfall. When it slammed into the coast at around 1:40 a.m., with the eye making landfall over Baggao in Cagayan Province.
Heavy rain and battering winds were reported in Cagayan Province on Friday night, with Manuel Mamba, the provincial governor, describing the capital as being “pummeled” during an telephone interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel. Heavy rain and battering winds were reported in that province, with Manuel Mamba, the provincial governor, describing the capital as being “pummeled” during an telephone interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel.
A reporter from the same news network, Jeff Canoy, shared a video of the view outside his hotel in Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province, late Friday night as rain lashed city streets.A reporter from the same news network, Jeff Canoy, shared a video of the view outside his hotel in Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province, late Friday night as rain lashed city streets.
Footage taken elsewhere in Cagayan Province on Friday show strong winds and heavy rains battering buildings and bending tree trunks as the storm approached.Footage taken elsewhere in Cagayan Province on Friday show strong winds and heavy rains battering buildings and bending tree trunks as the storm approached.
The national weather service of the Philippines expected the typhoon to make landfall over Cagayan on Saturday between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.The national weather service of the Philippines expected the typhoon to make landfall over Cagayan on Saturday between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
It estimated that the typhoon could bring a 20-foot storm surge in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte provinces by early Saturday and reach up to six and a half feet in Isabela and Ilocos Sur provinces.It estimated that the typhoon could bring a 20-foot storm surge in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte provinces by early Saturday and reach up to six and a half feet in Isabela and Ilocos Sur provinces.
Across the Philippines, schools have been shuttered, home and business owners have boarded their windows and the military has been put on high alert.Across the Philippines, schools have been shuttered, home and business owners have boarded their windows and the military has been put on high alert.
President Rodrigo Duterte barred troops from taking leave, and ordered that illegally imported rice seized by customs officials at the country’s ports should be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for potential disaster relief.President Rodrigo Duterte barred troops from taking leave, and ordered that illegally imported rice seized by customs officials at the country’s ports should be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for potential disaster relief.
Hundreds of bulldozers were made ready in the event of landslides, and rescue workers were being deployed across the country. In some cases, Mr. Duterte said, resources that had already been dispatched were being moved to get them out of the path of the storm.Hundreds of bulldozers were made ready in the event of landslides, and rescue workers were being deployed across the country. In some cases, Mr. Duterte said, resources that had already been dispatched were being moved to get them out of the path of the storm.
President Duterte warned that the storm could deal a severe blow to the country’s agricultural sector, just as the rice and corn harvests are set to start.President Duterte warned that the storm could deal a severe blow to the country’s agricultural sector, just as the rice and corn harvests are set to start.
The president’s order that farmers harvest their most mature grains immediately set up a difficult choice for farmers who were also told to evacuate.The president’s order that farmers harvest their most mature grains immediately set up a difficult choice for farmers who were also told to evacuate.
If the country was hit hard by the storm, the president predicted hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.If the country was hit hard by the storm, the president predicted hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.
After the Philippines, the storm is predicted to pass Hong Kong on Sunday before slamming into the Chinese mainland on Monday morning.After the Philippines, the storm is predicted to pass Hong Kong on Sunday before slamming into the Chinese mainland on Monday morning.
The Hong Kong Observatory warned residents of the territory to “take suitable precautions and pay close attention to the latest information” on the storm.The Hong Kong Observatory warned residents of the territory to “take suitable precautions and pay close attention to the latest information” on the storm.
In mainland China, the southern provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan have ordered residents to seek shelter away from the coast.In mainland China, the southern provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan have ordered residents to seek shelter away from the coast.
The State Department in Washington issued a travel alert for Guangdong and Hainan, warning of “extremely high winds, dangerous storm tides, heavy rainfall, and possible flooding.”The State Department in Washington issued a travel alert for Guangdong and Hainan, warning of “extremely high winds, dangerous storm tides, heavy rainfall, and possible flooding.”
Much of the planning for Mangkhut has been informed by Typhoon Haiyan, the devastating 2013 storm that led to the deaths of thousands of people and left more than four million people homeless.Much of the planning for Mangkhut has been informed by Typhoon Haiyan, the devastating 2013 storm that led to the deaths of thousands of people and left more than four million people homeless.
That storm taught many lessons. Food and fresh water must be in position before a storm hits, as roads and airports may be closed for a week or more afterward because of fallen trees and other damage. Soldiers and police officers need to fan out to restore order as soon as the typhoon passes so civil society does not collapse in storm-ravaged areas. Evacuation centers need to be built on higher ground with stronger roofs.That storm taught many lessons. Food and fresh water must be in position before a storm hits, as roads and airports may be closed for a week or more afterward because of fallen trees and other damage. Soldiers and police officers need to fan out to restore order as soon as the typhoon passes so civil society does not collapse in storm-ravaged areas. Evacuation centers need to be built on higher ground with stronger roofs.
The task of naming typhoons falls to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which uses names sequentially from a list suggested by different countries. But when typhoons enter the Philippines’ area of responsibility for storm monitoring, they are assigned a different name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the national meteorological agency. It has issued its own list each year since it was established in 1972. Thus, Mangkhut becomes Ompong in the Philippines.The task of naming typhoons falls to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which uses names sequentially from a list suggested by different countries. But when typhoons enter the Philippines’ area of responsibility for storm monitoring, they are assigned a different name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the national meteorological agency. It has issued its own list each year since it was established in 1972. Thus, Mangkhut becomes Ompong in the Philippines.
Local names, the agency reasons, are easier to remember in rural areas and make the storms feel more immediate, increasing the chance that people will take them seriously.Local names, the agency reasons, are easier to remember in rural areas and make the storms feel more immediate, increasing the chance that people will take them seriously.
The Philippine agency also assigns names to tropical depressions, which are not named internationally, because even though they are less powerful than typhoons, they can still cause significant damage.The Philippine agency also assigns names to tropical depressions, which are not named internationally, because even though they are less powerful than typhoons, they can still cause significant damage.
The internationally recognized name for the typhoon — “Mangkhut” — is the Thai word for mangosteen, a tropical, reddish-purple fruit native to Southeast Asia.The internationally recognized name for the typhoon — “Mangkhut” — is the Thai word for mangosteen, a tropical, reddish-purple fruit native to Southeast Asia.
The mangosteen, which has a hard shell with white flesh inside, is cheap and plentiful in Asia but rarer and more expensive in the West, where it is nonetheless growing in popularity.The mangosteen, which has a hard shell with white flesh inside, is cheap and plentiful in Asia but rarer and more expensive in the West, where it is nonetheless growing in popularity.