Typhoon Noul

Thousands evacuated as typhoon Noul nears Philippines

Thousands evacuated and ports closed as forecasters hope storm system will pass along coast without moving inland

the Guardian,

10 May, 2015, 03.43 BST

Thousands of people were evacuated from part of the Philippines as a typhoon expected to bring winds of more than 100mph passed close to the coast.

Typhoon Noul was forecast to bring gusts exceeding 120mph and sustained speeds of 100mph, plus heavy rain that prompted warnings of landslides in mountainous areas.

By Sunday the typhoon had shrunk significantly but still threatened heavy to intense rains and storm surges of up to 1.5 metres over the eastern coasts of Isabela and Cagayan, the weather bureau said. “It will almost just brush the country but it will bring strong winds,” weather forecaster Fernando Cada said.

UK-based Tropical Storm Risk estimated the typhoon, forecast to develop into a category 5, would skip Philippine provinces and veer north over water towards Japan.

Raben Dimaano, a disaster official in Sorsogon province, said more than 11,000 people were moved to temporary shelters in two towns around Mount Bulusan – a volcano which erupted twice this week – because of the danger of mudflows.

Mayors in areas likely to be affected were deciding whether any further evacuations were necessary, said the state weather forecaster.

“Our advice is for people on the eastern seaboard to avoid outdoor activities,” state weather forecaster Fernando Cada said.

Ferry services were shut down, leaving thousands of commuters stranded at ports, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

More than 10,000 passengers and 1,000 shipping vessels were stranded in various ports in the country, mostly along its eastern seaboard. Cebu Pacific cancelled at least six domestic flights to northern Philippines.

About 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines annually. The strongest on record to make landfall – typhoon Haiyan – devastated the central Philippines in November 2013, claiming more than 7,300 lives.

Noul [#DodongPH] is now a Super Typhoon Heading to Philippines

Poor Philippines. They are threatened, not only by a super-typhoon, but also a volcano

Thousands stranded as Typhoon Noul, Mt Bulusan volcano threatens Philippines

Reuters

The forecast path for Typhoon Noul set to hit the Philippines.

Stuff,

9 May, 2015

The Philippines is preparing to evacuate residents along its northeastern coast as a typhoon approaches, as well as those near a rumbling volcano that has been spewing steam and ash over a central province.

Typhoon Noul was about 480 km northeast of the town of Borongan in Eastern Samar province, with wind gusts of up to 185 km per hour, and is expected to make landfall as a category four storm this weekend.

Thousands of passengers have already been stranded in seaports along the central and eastern Philippines after authorities stopped vessels from sailing because of rough seas.

The typhoon, the fourth to hit the Southeast Asian country this year, was expected to bring heavy to intense rainfall when it makes landfall in the northeast, the weather bureau said. It was then expected to weaken as it swung northeast towards the Japanese island of Okinawa by Tuesday.

Officials warned that heavy rain from the typhoon could cause "lahar", or flows of mud and debris, around Mount Bulusan, a volcano that has been spewing ash this week.

"There could be lahar flow, mudslides, that could sweep away houses in the area if there is heavy rain ... that is the danger," Esperanza Cayanan, division head at the weather bureau, told a briefing at the national disaster agency.

Fritzie Michelena, a disaster official in Irosin in central Sorsogon province where the volcano Mount Bulusan is located, said the municipality was getting ready to evacuate residents.

"We will do pre-emptive evacuations because it might be difficult to get people out if we do it later," she said in an interview with the ANC news network.

Officials have designated schools and gymnasiums as possible shelters.

Typhoon Noul was also expected to trigger landslides and flash floods, with government officials alerting regional offices along the storm's projected path by text, email and phone calls.

Richard Gordon, chairman of Philippine Red Cross, said responders had learned a lot from Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the central Philippines in 2013, leaving more than 8000 people dead or injured and about a million homeless.

"We have learned to prepare better, pre-positioning relief goods and emergency equipment to respond faster," he said.

An average of 20 typhoons cross the Philippines annually.