The Philippine authorities began this Sunday evacuation tasks in coastal areas and suspended the maritime traffic of hundreds of passengers while the island of Luzon, where the capital, Manila, is located, faces the arrival of the so-called “super typhoon” Noru.
The typhoon landed in the municipality of Bordeaux, in the Polillo Islands, located in the province of Quezon, in Central Luzon (about 115 kilometers east of Manila), at 5:30 p.m. local time (9:30 GMT) on Sunday, according to the Philippine Meteorological Agency.
IMPACT
Some images published by the Inquirer newspaper on its Twitter account show the torrential rains and strong winds that the “super typhoon” is leaving in its path through Quezon, which entered this category today after a period of “explosive intensification”, with winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour.
The super typhoon – the 11th of the year – is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the Central Luzon region north of Manila, which is also bracing to be hit by the effects of Noru.
EMERGENCY
Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos today ordered the suspension of classes and work on Monday due to the impact of Noru, following the recommendations of the National Council for Disaster Reduction and Management.
“The highest level of emergency preparedness and response protocol has been activated in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and the Bicol region,” the Council for National Disaster Reduction and Management said on Sunday.
Noru is the 11th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, and it is expected to bring torrential rains to the capital area and neighboring provinces.
“Fortunately, this typhoon is moving fast, even if it generates strong winds,” said the spokesman for the national disaster agency, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, according to Channel News Asia.
Authorities have warned of possible landslides, floods and destructive winds, while the Philippine Coast Guard said more than 1,200 passengers and 28 ships have been stranded in ports south of the capital. EFE
