Typhoon Doksuri, known as Egay in the Philippines, ripped across the northern provinces of the nation on Wednesday, July 26. Authorities said the typhoon killed at least six people and forced others to evacuate their homes as it ripped apart roofs, flooded low-lying communities, and prompted scores of landslides.
In Buguias town, Benguet province, a landslide buried a home. This killed a woman, her kid, and two other children. Two other people were injured. A 17-year-old boy was killed in the adjacent resort city of Baguio after the soil loosened by heavy rains buried his home.
Meanwhile, a lady selling bread from a bicycle cart was killed by a falling coconut tree in Isabela province, also in the north.
'Egay' Forced People to Evacuate
According to an AP News report, nearly 16,000 people were evacuated from high-risk coastal communities in Cagayan province on Tuesday, July 25. Schools and businesses were closed as a precaution before the typhoon made landfall on Fuga Island early morning.
Disaster relief workers estimate that tens of thousands of people were impacted by the typhoon's wind and rain, which spread across a large area of 700 kilometers (435 miles).
The coast guard reported using rubber boats and ropes to rescue residents of Bacarra town in Ilocos Norte who had been stranded in their homes by brownish, waist-level floods.
Thousands of people, including passengers on inter-island ferries and drivers of freight trucks, were stuck at ports when a no-sail order was issued. The coast guard said that once the weather improved, most people were able to continue with their journeys.
The storm intensified the monsoon rains in the central and northern provinces, which flooded the Manila metropolitan area as well.
Taiwan and China Could Expect Heavy Rainfall With Strong Winds
Although the typhoon is forecast to weaken as it goes northwest, Taiwan and China should still be prepared for heavy rains and strong winds.
As the typhoon approached Taiwan earlier this week, the self-governing island called off part of its regular military training in preparation for what may be the biggest storm to strike the island in four years, CNN Reported.
The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan reports that the outer bands of the typhoon are making landfall in eastern Taiwan. As it moves northwest, it is forecast to weaken further to the strength of a category 1 Atlantic hurricane, perhaps making a second landfall on the southern coast of China during the following two days.
Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Center of China issued a red alert for typhoon Doksuri on Wednesday, as the storm is expected to make landfall on Friday, July 25, in the area where the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong meet along China's southeastern coast.
The Chinese government has issued an urgent order for all fishing vessels to return to port and has urged farmers to take precautions against crop flooding.
