Lord have Mercy on US! (CNN) -- The strongest storm on the planet so far this year is rumbling across the Western Pacific near Taiwan and the Philippines, prompting authorities to issue warnings to residents in vulnerable areas. Packing winds as strong as 260 kilometers per hour (162 mph) on Friday, Super Typhoon Usagi is forecast to plow through the Luzon Strait that lies between Taiwan and the Philippines on Saturday. The storm is then expected to weaken to become a severe typhoon as it heads northwest toward the South China coast, where it is predicted to make landfall near the densely populated city of Hong Kong on Sunday. Usagis current wind strength makes it equivalent in power to a Category 5 hurricane. The overall storm system measures more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) across. Its an incredible storm system, said Pedram Javaheri, a meteorologist for CNN International. As the typhoon moves across the sea, it is estimated to be generating waves as high as about 15 meters (50 feet). In the storms path Its outer bands have already brought rain to the northern Philippines, where authorities have issued storm warnings for more than 15 provinces. The local weather agency, Pagasa, said residents in mountainous and low-lying areas should beware of possible flash floods and landslides. The lightly populated Batanes Islands -- situated right in the middle of the Luzon Strait, and the storms path -- are the area the most at risk from potentially devastating winds, the agency said. Usagi is expected to come closest to Taiwan on Saturday. The Central Weather Bureau issued a typhoon warning for the island, with heavy rain predicted, particularly in the east. If youre on the east coast of Taiwan, youve certainly got to take this storm very seriously, Javaheri said. Usagi could dump more than one meter (3 feet) of rain on the area over the coming days, he said.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:26:07 +0000
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