Typhoon Xangsane whips Manila
Pastor Dale Morgan
Thursday September 28, 3:03 PM Reuters
*Typhoon Xangsane whips Manila*
By Dolly Aglay
MANILA (Reuters) - Typhoon Xangsane weakened to a tropical storm over
the Philippines on Thursday but fierce winds and driving rain whipped
through the capital, ripping up roofs and lamp posts and barricading
residents in their homes.
Xangsane crashed into the Philippines' central islands on Wednesday with
winds of up to 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts of 160 kph but has eased back
to speeds of 110 kph and wind rushes of up to 140 kph.
Manila's sprawling streets were empty as most of the city's 12 million
residents took shelter from flying debris.
"It sounded like a train passed on the roof," said one occupant of a
fourth floor apartment. "Then the roof in one of our rooms was gone. I
can now see the sky."
Forecasters said Xangsane would likely strengthen back to a typhoon when
it hits the South China sea. The storm is headed westward and is
expected to reach Vietnam late on Sunday.
"As long as it is here in Metro Manila it will likely remain a tropical
storm because it has no source of energy to feed on," Renato Molina, a
weather specialist, told Reuters.
"It will likely regenerate to a typhoon when it reaches the South China
sea," said Molina, adding that weather conditions in Manila should start
improving by 11 pm (1500 gmt).
Violent winds and seas stranded over 4,000 ferry passengers and at least
five people were killed. Three drowned when raging waters swept away
their homes, one was killed by falling trees and another person by a
flying billboard.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by power failure and blocked roads,
leaving some residents in the central Philippines to take refuge on the
roofs of their submerged houses.
Six provinces in the central Bicol region, famed for its coconut
plantations, were left without electricity as high winds toppled power
lines.
TOO DANGEROUS
Xangsane brought Manila to a near standstill with all flights and sea
travel in and out of the city cancelled. The international airport will
be closed until 6pm (1000 gmt).
Government offices were shuttered and local trading in the peso and
shares cancelled.
Power was interrupted in most parts of the city, forcing the suspension
of trains. Taxis were reluctant to take to the road.
"It's too dangerous," said Armando Legaspi, a cab driver. "Trees were
falling left and right. So many things were flying out there. Visibility
was also poor and I was so afraid the wind could flip my car."
Forecasters warned residents not to be fooled by the calm centre or eye
of the typhoon, which was passing over Manila.
"The public might think the storm is over and they can go outside their
houses and fix whatever needs fixing," Nathaniel Cruz, chief forecaster,
told local radio.
"Do not do that because once the eye of the storm passes we will
experience strong winds again that may continue to cause damage to our
properties or even lives."
Xangsane was the 13th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, disaster
officials said.
Tropical storms regularly hit the archipelago of about 7,000 islands. In
the worst disaster in recent years, more than 5,000 people died in
central Leyte island in 1991 in floods triggered by a typhoon.
In 2004, about 1,800 people were killed or went missing in a series of
storms. The toll included 480 who were killed when mudslides hit three
towns in Quezon, an eastern province.