Philippines on storm alert
2009-05-06 18:41
Manila - Philippine officials warned people on Wednesday to take precautions against a powerful storm boring down on northern provinces.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that based on the weather bureau's estimates, storm Chan-Hom would reach the western coast of the Philippines on Thursday morning.
Ermita said Chan-Hom, packing maximum sustained winds of 110km/h and gusts of up to 140km/h, would affect at least 20 northern provinces, including Manila.
"Chan-Hom is a land-falling cyclone that can strengthen to typhoon level and can thus bring intense rains and flashfloods (Thursday) or Friday this week," he said.
"Residents in the areas to be affected, with the help of local government units, are now strongly advised to take all precautionary measures," Ermita added.
Chan-Hom was threatening the Philippines just days after storm Fujira battered the country, leaving at least 27 people killed and eight more missing.
Most of the fatalities were buried in a landslide in the eastern province of Sorsogon, 375km south of Manila.
More 50 000 people remained in different evacuation centres and damages to agriculture, livestock and fisheries were estimated at 451.73m pesos ($9.41m).
- DPA