Thousands evacuated as Philippines warns of flooding, landslides from approaching Typhoon Mawar

Philippine Coast Guard personnel check on a fisherman while conducting patrol along shore lines in Ilocos Norte province, northern Philippines, as they prepare for the possible effects of Typhoon Mawar on Monday, May 29, 2023. Philippine officials began evacuating thousands of villagers, shut down schools and offices and imposed a no-sail ban Monday as Typhoon Mawar approached the country's northern provinces a week after battering the U.S. territory of Guam. - AP

MANILA, May 28 (AP): Philippine officials began evacuating thousands of villagers, shut down schools and offices and imposed a no-sail ban Monday as Typhoon Mawar approached the country’s northern provinces a week after battering the US territory of Guam.

The typhoon is packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kpm (96 mph) and gusts of up to 190 kph (118 mph) but is forecast to spare the mountainous region a direct hit. Current projections show the typhoon veering northeast toward Taiwan or southern Japan.