Manila, Philippines

Officials in the Philippines began evacuating nearly 5,000 people, shut down schools, offices and even imposed a no-sail ban Monday (May 29) as Typhoon Mawar approached the country’s northern provinces. The typhoon which is also now known as Betty is expected to move “generally northwestward” over the next two days, said the country’s weather agency. 

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The typhoon will hit the Philippines days after it wreaked havoc in the United States territory of Guam with ferocious winds and torrential rains but thankfully caused no fatalities or major injuries. 

Evacuations underway in Philippines

According to Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defense, nearly 5,000 people have sought shelter in Cagayan, Batanes and other provinces. The Philippine authorities have warned of tidal surges, flash floods and landslides in the northernmost province of Batanes starting Tuesday. 

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A day after the typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 155 kpm and gusts of up to 190 kph Mawar hit eastern villages of Cagayan on Monday and led to the collapse of some structures, it prompted evacuations. However, the number of evacuees is expected to rise, Alejandro said, as many are being evacuated currently from flood- and landslide-prone regions.

“Even if the sun is up, the weather is so unpredictable nowadays and could change anytime so we should always stay on the side of safety,” Alejandro told the Associated Press. So far, classes and offices, except for those involved in disaster preparedness have been temporarily shut. 

Additionally, flights to and from the provinces where the typhoon is expected to hit have been cancelled, while the officials have also prohibited fishing and passenger vessels from sailing and even imposed a liquor ban. “We’re talking here of potential threats to lives,” Alejandro told the AP. 

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The prohibition on sailing has also led to power outages in Batanes, a chain of islands with about 19,000 people as the tanker ship carrying fuel for the generators has taken shelter considering the upcoming typhoon. Furthermore, local officials have said that army troops, police, firefighters and volunteer groups have been placed on standby for search and rescue missions. 

What happened in Guam?

Typhoon Mawar hit Guam last week and battered the US territory with 241 kph winds downing power lines, and trees. This has led to major power cuts across Guam as thousands of homes and businesses suffered outages. The storm was also one of the worst ones to hit the US territory in decades as images and videos show flooded streets, mangled trees, and debris across people’s front yards. 

(With inputs from agencies) 

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