Thousands Flee as Typhoon Vongfong Slams Philippines
Philippines Raked With High Winds, Heavy Rain from Typhoon
(Bloomberg) -- Philippine authorities evacuated thousands of people as Typhoon Vongfong slammed the island nation with strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm surge just as many areas are set to ease their lockdowns.
Locally called Ambo, the first typhoon to hit the Philippines this year has weakened as it made landfall several times since Thursday afternoon. It’s packing maximum sustained winds of 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles) near the center and gusts of up to 165 kph while traversing the eastern part of the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its latest report on Friday.
The typhoon has hit the Southeast Asian nation just as lockdowns in the capital region and other parts of the country are set to ease. Nearly 27,000 people have been evacuated in the Bicol region, according its disaster risk reduction council. Unused isolation facilities intended for Covid-19 patients will host evacuees.
The storm will be 33 nautical miles from Metro Manila on Friday afternoon, its closest point of approach to the capital, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii.
It’s expected to traverse several northern provinces before heading back to sea over the weekend and probably dissipate Monday south of Japan.
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