Super Typhoon Mangkhut smashes into Philippines

Channel NewsAsia 15 Sep 18;

TUGUEGARAO: Super Typhoon Mangkhut slammed into the northern Philippines on Saturday (Sep 15) with violent winds and torrential rains, as authorities warned millions in its path of potentially heavy destruction.

The massive category 5 storm, which forecasters have called the strongest typhoon this year, blew in windows, hurled debris and knocked out power lines when it made landfall on the island of Luzon in the pre-dawn darkness.

It packed powerful gusts of up to 255km per hour and sustained winds of 205km per hour while heading west across the disaster-prone archipelago towards China.

Television and radio news coverage and footage posted on social media showed trees being whipped by strong winds and bursts of rain lashing down on roads where tree branches, signs and trash bins had fallen.

"As much as possible, stay indoors," Chris Perez, a forecaster for the state weather service, warned the roughly four million people in the path of the storm after it landed at 1.40am (1740 Friday GMT).

An average of 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions in near-perpetual poverty.

Thousands of people fled their homes in high-risk areas ahead of the storm's arrival because of major flooding and landslide risks.

Mangkhut, locally named Ompong, has a diameter of about 900km. Authorities hiked the storm alert on Friday to its second highest level in northern Luzon provinces and mobilised rescue teams.

The elevated warning level carried risks of "very heavy" damage to communities hit by the typhoon and a storm surge that was forecast to hit six metres in some areas, the weather service said.

Residents started lashing down their roofs and gathering supplies days before the arrival of the storm that forecasters said is the most powerful of 2018.

"WE ARE TERRIFIED"

"Among all the typhoons this year, this one (Mangkhut) is the strongest," Japan Meteorological Agency forecaster Hiroshi Ishihara told AFP on Friday.​​​​​​​

"This is a violent typhoon. It has the strongest sustained wind (among the typhoons of this year)", he added.

After blasting the Philippines, Mangkhut is predicted to hurtle towards China's heavily populated southern coast this weekend.

"They (authorities) said this typhoon is twice as strong as the last typhoon, that's why we are terrified," Myrna Parallag, 53, told AFP after fleeing her home in the northern Philippines.

"We learned our lesson last time. The water reached our roof," she said, referring to when her family rode out a typhoon at home in 2016.

The country's deadliest on record is Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing across the central Philippines in November 2013.

Poor communities reliant on fishing are some of the most vulnerable to fierce typhoon winds and the storm surges that pound the coast.

"The rains will be strong and the winds are no joke ... We may have a storm surge that could reach four storeys high," Michael Conag, a spokesman for local civil defence authorities, told AFP.

The storm is not forecast to directly hit Hong Kong, though it will feel Mangkhut's wind and rain through Sunday.

However, the Hong Kong Observatory warned that the massive typhoon will pose a "severe threat" to China's southern coast before moving on to northern Vietnam.

Source: AFP/Reuters/ec/hm


Hong Kong braces itself for Super Typhoon Mangkhut, the strongest tropical storm in decades
Channel NewsAsia 13 Feb 18

HONG KONG: Hong Kong was on Thursday (Sep 13) preparing for Super Typhoon Mangkhut, predicted to make landfall this weekend. It may be the strongest ever tropical storm to lash the city in decades, the Xinhua news agency reported.

With winds that may gust up to 240km/h, Mangkhut is expected to be more powerful than the Super Typhoon Wanda that resulted in heavy casualties in 1962 and the Super Typhoon Hato, which triggered the highest level typhoon warning signal last year.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued a No 3 typhoon signal on Wednesday as winds gathered strength with the tropical storm Barijat. All the warning signals related to Barijat were cancelled early Thursday, but officials warned of a much greater threat from Mangkhut.

According to the observatory, Mangkhut is forecast to move towards the Philippine island of Luzon on Friday and Saturday. Around 10 million people in the Philippines are in the storm's path, and millions more in heavily populated coastal China.

Philippine authorities have started to evacuate thousands of people from coastal areas as winds bore down on the country's main island.

It will be the strongest of 15 storms to have hit the Philippines this year.

"Its track and wind strength near the centre may change under the influence of the terrain of Luzon, but it is expected to remain in the category of super typhoon after entering the South China Sea," wrote the Hong Kong Observatory on its website.

Forecast path of Super Typhoon Mangkhut as it approaches Hong Kong. (Graphic: AFP/Gal Roma)

"Although there are still uncertainties in the subsequent track of Mangkhut and its distance from Hong Kong, Mangkhut’s extensive circulation will bring significantly deteriorating weather to Hong Kong on Sunday with frequent heavy squally showers.

"Seas will be very rough with swells and low-lying areas may be affected by storm surge," it added.

BAD WEATHER PLANS IN HONG KONG

The Hong Kong government convened Wednesday afternoon an inter-departmental meeting that involved 30 government bureaus, departments and organisations.

They discussed response plans, preventive measures and logistics support, among other things.

Security Secretary John Lee has directed all emergency response departments to have their deployment and response plans ready.

Social media users and radio commentators in Hong Kong said they were stocking up on food and supplies after the observatory warned residents to prepare for the storm, saying it posed a "considerable threat".

Local media reported a price surge on everyday items in Hong Kong as residents began preparing for the worst.

Ms Phoebe Wong, 47, a field sales supervisor at Procter & Gamble said her family has stocked up on some food in preparation of the typhoon.

"We have stocked up on some food but not much as some shops will still be open," Ms Wong told Channel NewsAsia.

"My sister has also placed the tape across her windows to prevent the glass from shattering everywhere if it does break," she added.

Shoppers were stocking up on fruits and vegetables, as well as fish and meat, with many stores selling out their wares earlier than usual, according to the South China Morning Post.

The newspaper also reported residents planning flood barriers such as sandbags, boards and brick walls to protect their homes and shops.

Hong Kong's flag carrier Cathay Pacific said on Wednesday its flight operations "will likely deteriorate, with flight delays and cancellations expected this coming weekend".

"Service resumption will possibly be slow after Typhoon Mangkhut passes through," its website stated. "We strongly request passengers travelling on these dates, and whose bookings were made on cathaypacific.com or our mobile app, to rebook their journey."

Several other Hong Kong-based airlines have announced a waiver for rebooking fees.

Source: Agencies/Bernama/CNA/hs(ra)


Dozens of flights delayed, cancelled amid Typhoon Mangkhut threat
Channel NewsAsia 14 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE: At least five international airlines have announced flight delays and cancellations in anticipation of the super typhoon Mangkhut, which is said to be the strongest this year.

On Friday (Sep 14), Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced it had cancelled 12 flights between Singapore, Hong Kong and San Francisco originally scheduled for Sep 16 to Sep 18.

"We are monitoring the weather situation closely and will provide further updates on SQ890/SQ891 and SQ868/SQ857 departing on 16 September 2018 when details of those flights are confirmed," the national carrier said on its website.

"As of now, all Singapore Airlines or SilkAir flights operating to and from potentially affected stations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen continue to operate as scheduled," it added.

Scoot, the budget airline operated by SIA, also announced the cancellation of 10 flights flying to and from Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou on Sep 16, while four flights scheduled for Sep 16 and Sep 17 between the latter two destinations would be delayed.

Malaysia Airlines said it was cancelling six flights to and from Hong Kong that were originally scheduled for Sep 15 and Sep 16.

The Philippine Airlines alone has called off dozens of domestic and international flights scheduled for Sep 14 to Sep 16, including to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Osaka. Several delays were also announced.

Cebu Pacific Air has similarly cancelled more than 30 flights for Sep 14 to Sep 17, most of them domestic.

Millions in the Philippines are at risk from the super typhoon that is set to smash the northern coast this weekend, potentially bringing floods, landslides and huge waves to the disaster-prone nation.

Thousands have evacuated their homes along the coastline, and businesses and residents in Luzon island have reportedly been boarding up windows and tying down roofs that may be sheared off by sustained winds of 205 kilometres per hour.

Mangkhut is predicted to reach China's southern coast around Sunday, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. The city's residents were reportedly stocking up on everyday items such as fish and vegetables during the week. Some were also setting up flood barriers for their properties.

Source: CNA/hs