MANILA: The Philippines has placed northern parts of its main Luzon island on alert as severe tropical storm Gaemi continues to intensify.
Storm Gaemi, locally known as Carina, is forecast to become a typhoon in the next 12 hours and intensify over the next four days on its way to Taiwan.
The Philippine weather bureau, in a Monday (July 22) advisory, warned of floods and landslides. Placed under the lowest alert in a five-step warning system were the eastern portion of Cagayan province and Babuyan Islands as well as the northeastern portion of Isabela province.
Gaemi, packing maximum sustained winds of 110km (68 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 135km, is expected to exit the Philippines as early as late Wednesday and will likely head to Taiwan.
The Philippines has an average of 20 tropical cyclones a year, making it one of the world’s worst-hit countries. - Bloomberg
