Super Typhoon Mangkhut: millions of people directly in storm’s path
Philippines begins mass evacuations amid fears of landslides and flash floods in 160mph winds
As Hurricane Florence makes landfall in the US, a super typhoon is set to wreak havoc on the Philippines before moving on to Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.
Typhoon Mangkhut, currently the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane, is expected to make landfall on the Philippines island of Luzon tomorrow.
Forecasters predict the storm is likely to be one of the strongest in the country’s history, with winds of up to 160mph and storm surges reaching 23ft. Heavy rains are also expected to trigger landslides and flash floods.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Officials say more than five million people are directly in the storm’s path, and a mass evacuation is already under way.
“We are really frightened,” Delaila Pasion, who had fled her home, told French press agency AFP. “They say it is so strong, we were too scared to remain.”
The storm has stoked fears that it may wreak as much damage as Typhoon Haiyan, which in 2013 devastated a vast swath of the country, killing more than 6,000 people, CNN reports.
“We are bracing for the worst here,” said a spokesperson for international aid organisation World Vision. “There is a sense of fear that we might be facing a storm as bad as Haiyan or Haima.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
After hitting the Philippines, Typhoon Mangkhut is expected to head towards Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Observatory is expecting it to come within about 125 miles of the city on Sunday evening, according to the South China Morning Post.
The storm is then expected to make landfall on the heavily populated coast of Guangdong province, in southern China, potentially displacing tens of millions of people.
As in the US, there are also several smaller storms in the region, including Typhoon Barijat, which is currently tracking about 60 miles south of Hong Kong.
-
Political cartoons for October 26Cartoons Sunday’s editorial cartoons include Young Republicans group chat, Louvre robbery, and more
-
Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
-
Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago