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Super Typhoon Hagupit strengthens as it nears Philippines Powerful Typhoon Hagupit nears Philippines
(about 4 hours later)
Typhoon Hagupit has strengthened into a super storm over the Pacific as it approaches the Philippines. Tens of thousands of people have sought shelter as powerful Typhoon Hagupit heads towards the Philippines.
Hagupit, or "Ruby" in the Philippines, has gusts of up to 250km/h (155mph) and is forecast to reach land on Saturday. Hagupit, or Ruby in the Philippines, has gusts of up to 250km/h (155mph) and is forecast to reach land on Saturday.
It is on course for the Eastern Samar province and the city of Tacloban, where thousands were killed by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago.It is on course for the Eastern Samar province and the city of Tacloban, where thousands were killed by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago.
Tens of thousands of people, many of whom still live in temporary shelters, are moving away from coastal areas. Local residents, many of them still living in temporary shelters, are moving away from coastal areas.
Haiyan - known as Yolanda in the Philippines - was the most powerful typhoon ever recorded over land. It tore though the central Philippines in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 dead or missing.
Hagupit, which means "smash" in Filipino, is not expected to be a powerful as Haiyan but could bring storm surges up to one storey high.
Officials have warned the storm will bring heavy rain, storm surges and the risk of landslides.Officials have warned the storm will bring heavy rain, storm surges and the risk of landslides.
Schools and government offices are closed and there were long queues at shops and petrol stations as people stocked up on supplies. The US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center had classified Hagupit as a super typhoon but downgraded it on Friday morning. It remains the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Hagupit is not expected to be a powerful as Haiyan, but could bring storm surges up to one storey high. Schools and government offices are closed in some areas and there were long queues at shops and petrol stations as people stocked up on supplies.
The Philippine weather authorities said that as of 04:00 local time (20:00 GMT Thursday) the storm was 500km (300 miles) east of Eastern Samar and moving at a speed of 13km/h. It has sustained winds of 215km/h and gusts of up to 250 km/h. In Tacloban, many people had chosen to seek shelter in the sports stadium.
Meteorologists had said there was a chance Hagupit could veer north towards Japan and miss the Philippines altogether, but there is a growing consensus that this scenario is now unlikely. "We've learned our lesson from Yolanda," Rita Villadolid, 39, told AFP news agency. "Everyone here is gripped with fear."
The Philippines gives its own names to typhoons once they move into Philippine waters, rather than using the international storm -naming system. The Philippine weather authorities said that as of 04:00 local time (20:00 GMT Thursday) Hagupit was 500km (300 miles) east of Eastern Samar and moving at a speed of 13km/h. It has sustained winds of 215km/h and gusts of up to 250 km/h.
Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Yolanda, was the most powerful typhoon ever recorded over land. Meteorologists had said there was a chance Hagupit could veer north towards Japan and miss the Philippines altogether, but this scenario is increasingly seen as unlikely.
It tore though the central Philippines in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 dead or missing. The Philippines gives its own names to typhoons once they move into Philippine waters, rather than using the international storm-naming system.
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