Typhoon Rai hits the Philippines

In Philippines,Typhoon Rai rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm and hit the southern part on Thursday, forcing mass evacuations and flight cancellations as floodwaters reached chest-high in low-lying communities. There is no official word of any casuality when report last came in. Meanwhile,tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in central and southern parts of the country as a powerful typhoon quickly gathers strength ahead of its expected landfall. The latest report from the Philippine weather bureau, PAGASA, said that Typhoon Rai is undergoing rapid intensification as it barrels towards the island province of Dinagat in the mid-eastern section of the country. As of 07:30 a.m. IST, the Philippine met office said wind speed has accelerated to 185 kilometres per hour near the centre with the speed of up to 230 kilometres per hour, moving west-northwest.
It warned of very destructive typhoon-force winds in some parts of the country within the next 12 hours.Sailors have also been advised to remain in port or take shelter as sea conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Navy has declared Rai as a super typhoon. It is the 15th typhoon to hit the country this year. Official figures show some 100,000 people have now fled their homes. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called the typhoon, which is locally known as Typhoon Odette, “one of the world’s strongest storms of 2021” and said it is “threatening millions of people with destructive winds and flash floods”.

Suspension of work and online classes have been ordered in some areas including the central province of Cebu, which has a population of eight million. The Philippine coastguard said it has grounded all vessels, stranding nearly 4,000 passengers and ferry and cargo ship workers in dozens of southern and central ports. Several mostly domestic flights have been canceled and schools and workplaces were shut in the most vulnerable areas.