Typhoon Noru: Evacuations in Philippines as severe storm nears

BBC News:

Authorities in the Philippines have started evacuating people from coastal areas as a major typhoon approaches.

Category 3 Typhoon Noru is travelling at speeds of 195 km/h (120 mph) as it heads towards Luzon, the country’s main island, after what forecasters called an “explosive intensification”.

The storm could cause landslides, flash flooding and dangerous storm surges, including in the capital, Manila.

Local governments have been advised to evacuate people in high-risk areas.

“We ask residents living in danger zones to adhere to calls for evacuation whenever necessary,” said national police chief Gen Rodolfo Azurin.

The storm’s speed increased by 90 km/h in 24 hours, and weather forecaster Robb Gile told AFP that its increased speed as it headed towards land was “unprecedented”.

In Quezon Province, east of Manila, fishermen have been prevented from heading to sea, and there were reports of some areas being without power.

The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, is highly vulnerable to storms.

An estimated 400 people died when Typhoon Rai hit the country in December 2021, with rescue teams describing scenes of “complete carnage”.