Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine authorities on October 31 ordered the evacuationof thousands of residents in the southern part of Luzon island as storm Goni,the world’s strongest this year, is approaching the country.
According to Gremil Naz, a local disaster official, pre-emptiveevacuations have started in coastal and landslide-prone communities in theprovinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, while Albay provincial authoritieswill order residents in risky areas to leave their homes.
Typhoon Goni, with 215 kph sustained winds and gusts of upto 265 kph, is forecast to make landfall on November 1 as the strongest to hitthe Philippines since Haiyan that killed more than 6,300 people in November2013.
Goni, moving westward at 20 kph from the Pacific Ocean, willbring intense rains over the capital and 14 provinces nearby on October 31evening./.