Philippines hit by Typhoon Sarika, braces for second typhoon in coming days

Typhoon Sarika killed two people and displaced more than 15,000 in the northern Philippines on Sunday as the nation braced for a super typhoon later in the week.

Typhoon Harika, named "Lawin" by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, was intensifying quickly in the western Pacific Ocean and was forecast to hit super typhoon status -- with winds of 150 mph or higher -- in northern Philippines, according to Weather.com. It is forecast to reach the eastern boundary of the Philippines Area of Responsibility on Monday and Taiwan later Wednesday or Thursday as a strong typhoon.

It was 1,000 miles east of Visaya with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was traveling 10 1/2 miles northwest, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

At the same time, Sarika, known locally as Karen, hit land about 85 miles northeast of Manila near the town of Baler as a Category 4-type storm with 130 mph maximum winds, according to Weather.com. It is forecast to reach Vietnam and China early this week.

The storm, with sustained gusts of 80 mph, was moving northwestward at 15 mph and was 160 miles off the Philippine coast in the South China Sea, according to the Philippines' weather agency.

"We have yet to receive the complete details, but I think the situation is manageable," Ricardo Jalad, who heads the Office of Civil Defense, told Inquirer.net. "Roofs of some houses were ripped off, there were fallen trees. Those are the damages we received so far, so it's is not that serious."
 [upi.com]
16/10/16
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