Typhoon Melor effect likely to cause flash floods in Sabah

A resident walks past big waves spilling over a wall onto a coastal road in the city of Legaspi in Albay province, south of Manila on Dec 14, 2015. - AFP pix

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is most likely to be hit by the tail effects of Typhoon Melor as it slammed central Philippines.

The typhoon, which will bring strong winds between 40 and 50 mph and heavy rains in Sabah's interiors, west coast areas and Kudat is expected to hit on Thursday and Friday.

On Monday, state Meteorological Department director Abdul Malek Tusin said that the affected areas should brace for flash floods during these two days.

All sea activities are also advised to be halted until the weather improves as the tail effects of Typhoon Melor is able to cause waves of up to 3.5m at the Sulu and South China Sea.

"We are monitoring the situation," Malek said.

It was reported that more than 700,000 people in the central Philippines fled to safer areas for fear of giant waves, floods or landslides as Typhoon Melor slammed into the archipelago nation Monday.