MANILA, Philippines (AP) – A powerful typhoon was approaching the northern Philippines on Tuesday, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and halt sea travel ahead of torrential rains and storm surges of up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet).
The strongest winds at the center of the storm are expected to remain at sea as Typhoon Doksuri moves northwest off Cagayan and Batanes provinces, but could reach remote islands in the archipelago. The typhoon’s 680-kilometre (420-mile) wide band of rains could trigger flash floods and trigger landslides in northern provinces, the country’s weather service said.
Doksuri was located 310 kilometers (193 miles) east of the city of Tuguegarao, in Cagayan province, with sustained winds of 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 230 km/h (143 mph), government meteorologists reported.
The typhoon would also intensify seasonal monsoon rains in the central and northern provinces. It is forecast to continue moving in a northwesterly direction on a track south of Taiwan, which is expected to make landfall in China later this week.
Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said he had ordered the suspension of work activities in his province to allow people to prepare for the onslaught of the meteor, and ordered the evacuation of thousands of people in 11 coastal towns as a precaution.
