MANILA: Thousands of people have fled from the path of Typhoon Mangkhut (local name Ompong) which picked up strength as it barreled toward the Philippines’ Cagayan region on Friday.
While the authorities said there is slim chance of Mangkhut becoming a super typhoon, it but warned “it is still a powerful and destructive typhoon.”
With maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gusts of up to 255 kph, Mangkhut further accelerated hours before it was expected to land in the Cagayan-Isabela area early on Saturday.
The authorities placed Cagayan and Isabela provinces under storm signal No. 4, while signal No. 3 was also raised in other parts of northern Luzon. Signal No. 4 means the area will experience winds of 171 kph to 220 kph, which can bring heavy damage to structures and agriculture, lift cars off the ground, uproot trees, and take the roof of a house, an official explained.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesperson Edgar Posadas said at least 2,298 families in regions affected by the storm have voluntarily evacuated since Thursday.
More residents are expected to move to safety as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on governors, mayors and village heads in four regions in the north to immediately evacuate all residents living in landslide and flood prone areas.
Posadas said an estimated 5.2 million people are in the path of Mangkhut, with 983,100 considered to be below poverty line or most vulnerable to the effects of the typhoon.
The DILG urged local chief executives as heads of their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) not to delay in issuing action plans to evacuate vulnerable residents.
“Times like this are when public services have to be most accountable, responsive and far-sighted,” said DILG spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya.
Officials have repeatedly warned that storm surges of up to six meters are likely in the coastal areas of Cagayan, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, as well as Ilocos Sur when the eye of Ompong is over Batanes.
“Every minute counts. Immediate evacuation should be to areas that are more than 10 meters above sea level, regardless of distance from the coastline,” Malaya advised.
Residents along riverbanks and landslide prone areas were also encouraged to evacuate their homes.
And with its huge diameter of 900km, officials said that many areas not directly affected by the storm can still experience heavy rains and strong winds.
“For those in Metro Manila, prepare for moderate to heavy rains due to Habagat (the summer monsoon) intensified by Ompong. Flooding is expected in the usual low-lying areas,” said Posadas.
Gusty winds with occasional moderate to heavy rains are expected over Visayas, while scattered light to moderate to at times heavy rains over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and CARAGA.
“Residents in these areas, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying areas and in mountainous areas, are advised to take appropriate action against possible flooding and landslides, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and to continue monitoring for updates,” PAGASA advised.
On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte deployed some cabinet secretaries to areas that will most likely be hit by the typhoon to monitor the situations on the ground. “I cannot be everywhere and anywhere,” he said.
When asked by reporters if the government is willing to seek assistance from the international community, Duterte said: “It would depend on the severity of the crisis.”
“If it flattens everything, maybe we need to have some help. And if there are countries who are well-meaning... But it’s too early to speculate,” he added.
Mangkhut is expected move on from the Philippines on Sunday.
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Philippines raises alert as super typhoon hurtles closer
Philippines raises alert as super typhoon hurtles closer
- By Friday evening, strong winds had already downed trees in Tuguegarao, a city in the north of Luzon, where almost all businesses had been shuttered
- At least four million people are directly in Mangkhut’s path, which is predicted to move on to China’s heavily populated southern coast
Italy approves new migration bill including powers to impose ‘naval blockades’ on migrant ships
ROME: Italy’s conservative government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday approved a bill introducing new measures aimed at fighting illegal immigration, including a so-called “naval blockade” for migrant ships trying to reach Italian shores.
A cabinet meeting in the late afternoon gave the go-ahead to the bill, which now needs to be discussed and approved in both chambers of parliament before becoming effective.
Italy’s new migration package — which also includes stricter surveillance at borders and cooperation with European agencies — comes a day after the approval of the new EU pact on migration and asylum, which Rome plans to implement swiftly.
The package includes new powers that would enable Italian authorities to impose a naval blockade on migrant ships trying to enter Italy’s territorial waters, under certain conditions.
Authorities can ban the crossing into Italian waters for up to 30 days, in cases in which the migrant ship poses “serious threats to public order or national security,” as in the concrete risk of terrorist acts or terrorist infiltration, the bill says. The blockade is extendable up to a maximum of six months.
It would also be possible to stop the ships from entering Italian waters in the case of a drastic influx in migrants that could jeopardize the secure management of borders.
Those violating the rules would face fines of up to 50,000 euros ($59,400) and would see their boats confiscated in the case of repeated violations, a measure that seems to target humanitarian rescue ships.
In those cases, the intercepted migrants could be “transported to third countries other than their country of origin, with which Italy has entered into specific agreements,” the bill says.
Under those rules, the Meloni government aims at restarting offshore processing hubs similar to the two controversial ones created in Albania, which have been substantially inactive for about two years due to legal hurdles.
These centers — a major effort by the Meloni government to manage migration flows — have constantly sparked debates about their legality and efficacy, raising strong opposition from humanitarian groups.
The Italian bill’s approval comes after European lawmakers on Tuesday voted to approve new immigration policies that allow nations to deny asylum and deport migrants because they either hail from a country designated safe or could apply for asylum in a country outside the 27-nation bloc.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani hailed the new rules on Tuesday, saying the confirmation from the European Parliament on the list of safe countries “proves Italy right.”
A cabinet meeting in the late afternoon gave the go-ahead to the bill, which now needs to be discussed and approved in both chambers of parliament before becoming effective.
Italy’s new migration package — which also includes stricter surveillance at borders and cooperation with European agencies — comes a day after the approval of the new EU pact on migration and asylum, which Rome plans to implement swiftly.
The package includes new powers that would enable Italian authorities to impose a naval blockade on migrant ships trying to enter Italy’s territorial waters, under certain conditions.
Authorities can ban the crossing into Italian waters for up to 30 days, in cases in which the migrant ship poses “serious threats to public order or national security,” as in the concrete risk of terrorist acts or terrorist infiltration, the bill says. The blockade is extendable up to a maximum of six months.
It would also be possible to stop the ships from entering Italian waters in the case of a drastic influx in migrants that could jeopardize the secure management of borders.
Those violating the rules would face fines of up to 50,000 euros ($59,400) and would see their boats confiscated in the case of repeated violations, a measure that seems to target humanitarian rescue ships.
In those cases, the intercepted migrants could be “transported to third countries other than their country of origin, with which Italy has entered into specific agreements,” the bill says.
Under those rules, the Meloni government aims at restarting offshore processing hubs similar to the two controversial ones created in Albania, which have been substantially inactive for about two years due to legal hurdles.
These centers — a major effort by the Meloni government to manage migration flows — have constantly sparked debates about their legality and efficacy, raising strong opposition from humanitarian groups.
The Italian bill’s approval comes after European lawmakers on Tuesday voted to approve new immigration policies that allow nations to deny asylum and deport migrants because they either hail from a country designated safe or could apply for asylum in a country outside the 27-nation bloc.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani hailed the new rules on Tuesday, saying the confirmation from the European Parliament on the list of safe countries “proves Italy right.”
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