Manila: The Philippines canceled some flights and warned residents as Doksuri intensified into a supertyphoon as it threatens to hit the northern part of the country en route to southern China.
The storm has maximum winds of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 230 kilometers, the Philippine weather bureau said in its 8am bulletin Tuesday. The typhoon is moving northwest at 10 kph and may hit the northeastern portion of Cagayan province or the Babuyan Islands by Tuesday night or Wednesday afternoon.
Areas in the north, including portions of Cagayan, are under the third level of a five-tier wind-strength classification, and residents were advised to take shelter in strong buildings. The province, which has experienced massive flooding in the past, produces rice and corn, and hosts an economic zone.
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Air Inc. cancelled more than a dozen flights from today, they said on Facebook. More than 8,200 people and 73 vessels are stranded in various ports in the Philippines, according to the nation's coast guard.
Located 277 nautical miles east-northeast of Manila, the typhoon has tracked northwestward at 8 knots over the past six hours, according to the US military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
In China, Fujian province upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level III at 6pm on Monday, the third-highest ranking, Xinhua news Agency reported. Guangdong activated Level IV for the storm.
