Super typhoon hits Philippines

Some 1 million people have been evacuated ahead of potential floods, landslides

MANILA, Philippines — A super typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines with ferocious winds early Sunday and about a million people in its projected path have been evacuated, including in the capital, where the main international airport was closed.

“There are so many people who are really in vulnerable areas,” said Ricardo Jalad, head of the government’s disaster response agency. “We’re expecting major damage.”

Typhoon Goni hit the island province of Catanduanes at dawn with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour and gusts of 174 mph — equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. It was blowing west toward densely populated regions, including Manila, and rain-soaked provinces still recovering from a typhoon that hit a week ago and left at least 22 dead.

“Within the next 12 hours, catastrophic violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall … will be experienced,” the Philippine weather agency said in an urgent advisory.

It said Catanduanes and four other provinces will be hit first, among them Albay, where tens of thousands of villagers have been moved to safety, especially near the active Mayon volcano, where mudflows have caused deaths during past storms. Residents have been warned of likely landslides, massive flooding, storm surges of more than 16 feet and ferocious wind.

One of the most powerful typhoons in the world this year, Goni has evoked memories of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, which left more than 7,300 people dead and missing, flattened entire villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines.

Jalad warned of storm surges that could inundate coastal villages, including in Manila Bay.

SOURCE: PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD Members of the Philippine Coast Guard carry a child as people are evacuated to safer ground on Oct. 31 ahead of Typhoon Goni. Families near coastal towns have moved to evacuation centers.