ReliefWeb

Tropical Storm Haiyan spotted over the Caroline Island in the Pacific Ocean is rapidly intensifying, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The cyclone will most likely reach a typhoon status on 5 November, and enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the morning of 6 November, at which time it will be named Yolanda. The cyclone is projected to make landfall over eastern Visayas or southern Luzon on 8 November. Samar, Leyte, Masbate or Sorsogon provinces may be hit.

Weather forecasts indicate that Tropical Storm Haiyan will continue to intensify rapidly within the next 24 to 48 hours as it moves over the warmer sea surface. It may become a Category 4 typhoon by the evening of 6 November, and pack maximum sustained winds of up to 220 kilometres per hour by the morning of 7 November. This is stronger than that recorded for Typhoon Bopha of December 2012, which entered PAR with maximum sustained winds of up to 185 km/hr.

Local authorities have alerted residents living along the eastern seaboard of the country, from Quezon province on Luzon to northeastern Mindanao, to watch out for this potentially destructive typhoon. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will meet on 6 November to review government’s preparedness and response measures.

The Philippine Humanitarian Country Team will also meet on 7 November to exchange views on priority preparedness actions.

The next Flash Update will be issued around 6 November.

For further information, please contact: David Carden, Head of Office, OCHA Philippines Email: carden@un.org Tel: +63 2 901 0265, Mobile: +63 917 513 9924

Additional information on the humanitarian situation in the Philippines is also available on the following websites: https://philippines.humanitarianresponse.info/ https://reliefweb.int/country/phl