Typhoon Maysak: Philippines May Face Landslides, Storm Surges Over Weekend
Typhoon Maysak is making landfall in the Philippines on Easter weekend, and authorities are concerned that holiday tourists on the beaches along the eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines may ignore the typhoon warnings, reports ABC. Although Maysak weakened to a Category 4 typhoon as it moved closer to the Philippines, authorities have warned of possible landslides and storm surges, and there's even a threat that the typhoon will strike eastern coastal areas where many resorts are located, reports ABC.
"This will bring waves which our surfers really like," Esperanza Cayanan, an officer at the weather bureau, said in a televised disaster briefing. "But this is a typhoon we are facing, even if we say it may become just a storm."
It's estimated that 10,000 tourists will arrive at Aurora province's Baler Bay, northeast of Manila, which is popular with surfers. Fisherman are forbidden to go to sea while the typhoon is close to the eastern coastline, reports ABC.
On Tuesday, Maysak's passing over the Yap State of Micronesia caused extensive damage, as the typhoon briefly gained wind speeds of 257 kph, the equivalent of a Category 5 storm, according to Al Jazeera, and led to the death of at least nine people in the Federated States of Micronesia, reports the Filipino Times. Maysak is expected to weaken by Saturday, when, at sustained winds of 150 kph, it will be considered a Category 1 storm. Fishermen have been warned not to go out over the eastern seaboard of Bicol Region and Visayas.
Maysak is considered a "super typhoon" by the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center and a "very strong" typhoon by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), according to the Filipino Times.
It's expected to leave the Philippines' "area of responsibility" Monday evening, reports Rappler, and moderate to heavy rainfall might be expected within the 150-200 km radius of the typhoon.
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