A powerful tropical cyclone packing winds of 120mph began dumping rain on the Philippines as the nation started evacuating thousands of residents. Further to the north, earthquake and tsunami stricken Japan was keeping a wary eye on the storm.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) Typhoon Songda was 443 miles east-southeast of Manila. The storm was moving at a leisurely 6mph to the northwest which will bring it perilously close to the Philippines.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) was warning residents of low lying areas that flashfloods and landslides were possible from the heavy rainfall. Storm surge and large waves along coastal areas also pose a threat.
Knee deep water in places was already being seen in the capital of Manila and conditions are expected to worsen as the storm gets closer. The Philippine government began evacuating 50,000 families from the Albay province in advance of the storm.
Named Typhoon Chedeng in the Philippines, Songda’s forecast track will bring it near Luzon although the current forecast does keep the eye off of the coast. With low wind shear and warming seas, the storm is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours.
Of perhaps greater concern is the potential for the storm to strike Japan as it moves to the north over the next week. The nation is still recovering from the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami and a tropical cyclone would only add to the difficulty the nation is experiencing.
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