Villagers disembark from a makeshift raft along a river in Bacoor, Philippines, on Nov 14, 2019. (Photo: EPA-EFE) Hanoi (VNA) - Atleast 5,000 people have fled their homes as typhoon Kalmaegi was forecast to makelandfall in the northern Philippines late November 19.
Kalmaegi was predicted to strikethe nation's lightly populated far north with 120 kilometre per hour winds, thenational weather service said.
Heavy rains were forecast toswell rivers, cut off roads and threaten low-lying communities in Cagayanprovince.
The weather agency raisedlandslide warnings across the mountainous interior of the country's north, alsowarning of floods and waves up to two metres high in coastal areas.
A dozen of domestic flights havebeen cancelled and schools shut down due to Kalmaegi, while small sea vesselswere ordered to stay ashore with gale conditions forecast at sea.
Forecasters believed a secondtropical storm could make landfall in the same province by November 21.
The Philippines is hit by anaverage of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and causing hugelosses in many areas in their path.
The country’s deadliest cycloneon record was super typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead ormissing in 2013./.
VNA
