Typhoon Mirinae heads towards the Philippines

October 30, 2009

The Philippines is bracing for yet another storm as Typhoon Mirinae heads towards the area. The country is still reeling from catastrophic flooding as a result of a number of other cyclones, including and. So far, over 1,100 have been killed during the Philippines' typhoon season.

A Category 2 storm, Mirinae is packing 1-minute sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), or 90 mph (150 km/h) 10-minute, and is forecast to strike the eastern portion of before moving westward, potentially over the city of.

Torrential rainfall, in addition to destructive winds, are expected to impact the region starting late Friday. As a result, numerous landslides are likely.

"Considering our land is already saturated with water, it may cause flooding in some areas. It is hard to tell if there will be floods but we are preparing for the worst," said a civil defence office spokesman.

Residents have been advised to take precautionary measures. Evacuations have also been declared in some areas, and ferries have been canceled.

The storm might re-intensify once it moves over open waters of the South China Sea.