Typhoon Rai Threatens Philippines, Forcing Thousands to Flee Homes

Article

Typhoon Rai has rapidly intensified as it nears central and southern Philippine provinces on Thursday, forcing thousands to flee their homes and leaving thousands stranded as airlines canceled flights.

The typhoon that’s locally known as Odette is packing winds of 165 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 205 kilometers per hour. Its center was at 265 kilometers east of Surigao City on Mindanao island, the Philippine weather bureau said in an 8 a.m. report.

The storm “is forecast to continue intensifying until it makes landfall this afternoon,” the weather agency said. The third highest storm signal in a five-step warning system is hoisted in several provinces on Visayas and Mindanao islands.

More than 700 families have been evacuated from Caraga region, ABS-CBN News reported, citing the civil defense office. Philippine Airlines Inc. and Cebu Air Inc. have canceled dozens of flights for Thursday. The Philippine Guard Guard said over 2,000 passengers have been stranded as of Wednesday.

The Southeast Asian nation, which is struck by an average of 20 typhoons annually, has incurred 506.1 billion pesos ($10.1 billion) in losses and damages from climate-related hazards over a decade, the Finance Department said earlier this year.

“The typhoon is likely to maintain this intensity or even strengthen a bit before crashing ashore in the Southeastern Philippines on Thursday afternoon,” AccuWeather said.