Philippines hit by supertyphoon Noru, thousands evacuated

Published on: 09/25/2022 – 18:12 Supertyphoon Noru began sweeping the Philippines on Sunday, prompting thousands to evacuate their homes and raising fears of flooding and crop destruction. Called “Karding” in the Philippines, Noru is the most powerful typhoon recorded this year in the country. Supertyphoon Noru began to hit the Philippines on Sunday, September 25, raising fears of flooding and crop destruction, prompting thousands to evacuate their homes. The supertyphoon began to inflict strong winds in the afternoon and heavy rain on the heavily populated main island of Luzon. According to the Philippine Meteorological Service, Noru made landfall at 5:30 p.m. local time (0930 GMT) in the municipality of Burdeos on the Polillo Islands, which are part of the province of Quezon. Winds of 195 km/h Accompanied by winds of 195 km/h, Noru, called “Karding” in the Philippines, is the most powerful typhoon recorded this year in the country. It has strengthened with “unprecedented” speed, according to the National Weather Service. , General Rodolfo Azurin. “The winds were strong this morning,” testified Ernesto Portillo, 30, working as a cook in the coastal town of Infanta, in the province of Quezon. “We are a little worried, a- he added. We put our belongings in safety and we went shopping to have food in case of need. “The Philippines is hit by about twenty typhoons each year, phenomenon which tends to worsen in due to climate change, according to scientists.Nine months ago, another supertyphoon killed more than 400 people in the center and south of the country.An “unprecedented” intensificationA typhoon is called a “supertyphoon” when its winds exceed a certain speed, the threshold varies according to the national meteorological services. In the Philippines, that threshold is 185 km/h. Wind speeds accompanying Noru have increased by 90 km/h in just 24 hours, an “unprecedented” intensification, said weather forecaster Robb Gile. “Typhoons are like engines, they need fuel and an exhaust to run,” Robb Gile explained. According to him, Noru “has good fuel because he has plenty of hot water along his path, and it has good exhaust in the upper layers of the atmosphere. It’s a good recipe for explosive intensification.”According to the weather service, wind speeds could reach 205 km/h by the time the supertyphoon, born in the Pacific Ocean, arrives on land. Schools closed, maritime traffic suspended The service warned of flooding, landslides and strong waves in the affected regions. Schools will remain closed on Monday and maritime traffic has been suspended. In the typhoon-hit Manila region 100 km northeast of the capital where 13 million people reside, compulsory evacuations were underway in some risk, including slums located on the banks of rivers. “I evacuated the house where I live because I’m afraid of the rapid rise in water,” Gloria Pérez, 68, told AFP. a group hosted in tents set up under the roof of a basketball court. “I’ve been through this before and I don’t want to go through it again.” Dozens of flights to or from the Philippine capital were suspended on Monday. been sent to shelters. “People who live near the coast have been told to evacuate. We live far from the coast, so we stayed. We are more worried about the water coming from the mountains,” said Rhea Tan, 54, a restaurateur in Dingalan. The typhoon is expected to weaken as it passes over the island of Luzon, before moving away in the South China Sea on Monday towards Vietnam. With AFP