Manila, Nov 14 (EFE).- The Philippines’ meteorological agency (Pagasa) on Thursday upgraded Usagi, the fifth tropical storm to hit the Southeast Asian country in less than a month, to super typhoon status ahead of its expected landfall later in the day.
Usagi, locally named Ofel, has gathered strength with sustained winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 230 kph, Pagasa reported in its latest bulletin, while the center of the storm was located 165 kilometers east of the northern province of Cagayan.
The agency estimates that the super typhoon will make landfall Thursday afternoon in the north of the country, after which it could continue in a north-northwesterly direction, thus brushing Taiwan before passing through the Japanese archipelago of the Ryukyus.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said during a press conference on Tuesday that authorities are maintaining a “proactive” approach and have put local rescue teams and municipalities on alert.
In this regard, the Cagayan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on Thursday ordered the forced evacuation of areas at risk of flooding and landslides.
The province, like others in the north of the country, has been affected by the passage of four consecutive cyclones in a short period of time.
Tropical Storm Trami, known locally as Kristine, made landfall in the northern province of Isabela on Oct. 23 and left 139 dead. A few days later, Typhoon Kong-Rey, causing authorities to raise the death toll from both storms to 162.
Typhoon Yinxing affected more than 40,000 people in the north of the country on Nov. 7, while Toraji made landfall on Monday in the northern province of Aurora, causing material damage and forcing authorities to evacuate some 32,000 people.
These last two consecutive storms did not leave any fatalities, which Remulla attributed to lessons learned from Kristine.
While the Philippines is now preparing for the arrival of Ofel, Pagasa warned in another bulletin of the approach of a new tropical storm, Man-Yi, which could reach the archipelago in the next few days.
The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and tropical storms per year, especially in the rainy season, which usually begins in June and ends in November or December. EFE
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