Millions at Risk as Philippines, China Brace for Super Typhoon Mangkhut

Typhoon Warning for Hong Kong Has Been Cancelled

Super Typhoon Mangkhut, an even more powerful storm than U.S.-bound Hurricane Florence, is heading for the Philippines, and mainland China.

Mangkhut, locally known as super typhoon Ompong, has already passed the U.S. territory of Guam, where it caused widespread flooding and power outages. It is currently barreling across the Pacific Ocean with wind gusts of more than 178 mph an hour (287 kph). Category 5 hurricanes, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale, have 157 mph or greater winds.

Mangkhut is forecast to make landfall in the northern Philippines on Sept. 14 or Sept. 15 and then move on towards southern China by Sept. 16. Hong Kong had been bracing for a direct hit on Sept. 12, but the typhoon warning was cancelled the morning of Sept. 13, the Hong Kong Observatory announced, as forecasts tracked Mangkhut’s path further south.

According to the U.N. Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, the super typhoon could affect as many as 43.4 million people before it fades away.

Governor Manuel Mamba of the Philippines island of Cagayan said officials would start evacuating islanders on Sept. 13. He had already ordered schools and government offices to close on Sept. 12.

“I’m stressing that this one is very different. This is more complicated because of possible storm surges,'' Mamba said on Sept. 12.

Mangkhut would be the 15th storm to batter the Philippines this year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. east coast braces as Hurricane Florence barrels towards the Carolinas, expected to make landfall late Sept. 14 or early Sept. 15. Hurricane Florence is registering maximum wind speeds of 115 mph (185 kph) as of 8 p.m., Sept. 12.

Additional reporting by The Epoch Times staff