On Monday, a powerful typhoon, ‘Krathon’, hit the northernmost islands of the Philippines. Authorities warn of it being a “potentially very destructive” threat to coastal villages.
‘Very Destructive’
Typhoon Krathon was tracked over the coastal waters near Balintang Island, located between the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes. The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kph (109 mph), with gusts reaching up to 215 kph (133 mph), as per reports.
The Philippine bureau has issued severe warnings, stating that there is a “moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge” in coastal areas of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Cagayan province within the next 48 hours.
Government forecasters indicated that Krathon is moving slowly westward but could strengthen into a super typhoon as it shifts northeast toward Taiwan on Tuesday. The destructive winds triggered by the typhoon could tear off roofs, uproot trees, ruin farmland, and generate massive waves along the coastline.
Local police officer Guilmar Cabejo, told AP, “There’s nobody outside, zero, because the wind is so strong,” He described how the fierce winds rattled rooftops and trees, leaving the streets deserted in the town of more than 1,800 people.
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Security Measures Ahead of Typhoon
Schools have been shut, and inter-island ferries have been suspended for security measures. Evacuation measures are underway. No immediate casualties have been reported.
Ahead of the typhoon, residents have taken proactive steps to safeguard their homes and personal belongings, including reinforcing their roofs with ropes, boarded up windows, and secured fishing boats to prevent them from being swept out to sea.
Hundreds of villagers from flood-prone and coastal areas in Cagayan province have been evacuated. Power outages in many areas have been reported.
About Haiyan: Deadliest Typhoon
The Philippines have resilience to these typhoons, as an average of 20 tropical cyclones hit the archipelago each year. It is specifically due to the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region notorious for seismic and volcanic activity, very prone to natural calamities. Japan also falls in it, making it prone to frequent earthquakes.
Going back in history, Typhoon Haiyan remains one of the most devastating that has hit the Phillipines in 2013. it left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, destroyed entire villages, displaced over five million people, and caused massive damage to the central Philippines.
Now the Northern Philippines has been put on high alert to mitigate any potential damage to life and property in the vulnerable coastal areas.
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