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Philippines storm changes course | Philippines storm changes course |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Typhoon Mitag has changed course and is now expected to hit the northern Philippines on Sunday, rather than the more populous central Bicol region. | |
Evacuees in Bicol will now be able to return home, but people in the north have been told to leave their homes. | |
The army has declared a ceasefire with local communist rebels so that troops can focus on damage prevention. | |
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, evacuees are returning home after Typhoon Hagibis weakened and changed course. | |
Forecasters said Mitag was gathering intensity off the coast of the Philippines and was expected to make landfall in the north-western Philippine provinces of Aurora and Isabela on Sunday night. | Forecasters said Mitag was gathering intensity off the coast of the Philippines and was expected to make landfall in the north-western Philippine provinces of Aurora and Isabela on Sunday night. |
Super typhoon? | Super typhoon? |
Government forecaster Nathaniel Cruz told the Associated Press there was a "strong possibility of storm surges". | Government forecaster Nathaniel Cruz told the Associated Press there was a "strong possibility of storm surges". |
He noted that Mitag could intensify into a "super typhoon" with winds reaching 220 km/h (137mph). | He noted that Mitag could intensify into a "super typhoon" with winds reaching 220 km/h (137mph). |
"The end result is that more things will be blown down and destroyed," he said. | "The end result is that more things will be blown down and destroyed," he said. |
Officials said that people in the central Albay region of the Philippines were especially relieved when the storm changed course. | Officials said that people in the central Albay region of the Philippines were especially relieved when the storm changed course. |
Animated guide: Typhoons | Animated guide: Typhoons |
The province is still recovering from last year's Typhoon Durian which triggered flash floods and volcanic mudslides that killed more than 1,000 people. | The province is still recovering from last year's Typhoon Durian which triggered flash floods and volcanic mudslides that killed more than 1,000 people. |
In Vietnam, soldiers and police helped people return to their homes after Typhoon Hagibis - which left 13 dead in the Philippines last week - lost its power and changed course, officials announced. | |
The typhoon has now been downgraded to a tropical storm and is heading out to sea, according to Vietnamese forecasters. | The typhoon has now been downgraded to a tropical storm and is heading out to sea, according to Vietnamese forecasters. |
Meanwhile, a search is under way for at least 25 Filipino sailors whose boat capsized after being lashed by high winds in the South China Sea. | Meanwhile, a search is under way for at least 25 Filipino sailors whose boat capsized after being lashed by high winds in the South China Sea. |