MANILA — A super typhoon bore down on the northeastern Philippines on Sunday packing winds of more than 250 kph (155), and evacuations began before it makes landfall on Monday morning.
Typhoon Megi would be felt on Sunday night in the north of the main island Luzon, a rice and corn growing area, and the government advised up to 7 million people in its direct path to stock up on food and medicine.
Government forecasters said waves off the east coast could be greater than 14 meters (46 ft), and advised against travel to the region as Megi could bring flash flooding, landslides and storm surges. Manila was not expected to be affected by the typhoon.
Tropical Storm Risk (http:/www.tropicalstormrisk.com) said Megi had intensified into a category 5 super typhoon, the highest rating, with winds of more than 250 kph, and would retain that strength as it crossed north Luzon on Monday.
The governor of northern Cagayan province, Alvaro Antonio, told Reuters the typhoon could cause great damage to the rice crop.
"Based on our estimates, about 50-60 percent of our rice production could either be destroyed or damaged. We are the top producer of rice," he said.
The Cagayan valley produces about of a third of the country's rice. The head of the state grain agency said last month that rice output would be about 3.2 million tonnes short of a projected 17.4 million tonnes this year.
Last year, the country lost 1.3 million tonnes of paddy rice following three strong typhoons in September and October, prompting it to go to the market early to boost its rice stocks.
EVACUATIONS
Megi, the 10th and strongest tropical storm to hit the country this year, was about 390 km (240 miles) east of northern Luzon on Sunday afternoon and moving at 22 kph toward Cagayan, one of 20 provinces placed on alert, government forecasters said.
It was expected to make landfall by 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) Monday and cross north Luzon during the day. By evening it was expected to be over the South China Sea and heading toward China.
Megi, known locally as Juan, was estimated to have rainfall of about 20 mm (8 inches) per hour, the forecasters said. People living along the coast, near river banks and low-lying areas in the northern Cagayan and Isabela provinces have started moving to higher grounds, Benito Ramos, head of the national disaster agency, told reporters.
Trucks, rubber boats, amphibious vehicles and generators were sent to the north to help in the rescue and relief operations, he added. Schools in the north will be closed on Monday.
Graciano Yumul, head of the weather bureau, called on people to take precautions and stock up on food, fuel and water as well as emergency power because electricity services might be affected.
"This is a very strong typhoon and we're asking our people to be vigilant," he said, adding strong winds could uproot trees and damage houses made of light materials. "We don't want any casualty."
In July, a typhoon killed 102 people. It unexpectedly changed direction and sliced through Manila, cutting power across the sprawling metropolis of 12 million people, prompting President Benigno Aquino to sack the chief weather forecaster.
(Editing by John Mair and Alex Richardson)
Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Philippines braces as Megi becomes super typhoon - Business
Super Typhoon MEGI | HurricaneZone.net - Real-Time Hurricane Information Around the Globe&trade
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Graphic courtesy of Hawaii Solar AstronomyA hurricane (or typhoon, or severe tropical cyclone), the strongest storm on Earth, is a cyclonic (rotary) storm that derives its energy from cloud formation and rainfall. This is unlike mid-latitude storms that derive their power from a temperature gradient. The strongest hurricanes release energy the equivalant of one 10-megaton nuclear bomb exploding every 20 minutes. A hurricane begins as a tropical depression with a sustained wind speed of less than 39 mph (35 knots; 63 km/hr). As the system strengthens, it becomes a tropical storm with winds from 39 to 73 mph (35-63 knots; 63-118 km/hr). Tropical storms are named in the Atlantic, East, Central and Northwest Pacific, in the South Indian Ocean, and in the Arabian Sea. When the winds are sustained (based on a one-minute average) at 74 mph (64 knots; 119 km/hr), the storm becomes: In the Atlantic Ocean, East Pacific, Central Pacific (east of the International Dateline) and Southeast Pacific (east of 160°E) a Hurricane; in the Northwest Pacific (west of the International Dateline) a Typhoon; in the Southwest Pacific (west of 160°E) and Southeast Indian Ocean (east of 90°E) a Severe Tropical Cyclone; in the North Indian Ocean a Severe Cyclonic Storm; and in the Southwest Indian Ocean (west of 90°E) a Tropical Cyclone.
BBC News - Super-typhoon Megi heads for northern Philippines
17 October 2010 Last updated at 15:43 ETSuper-typhoon Megi heads for northern Philippines
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Alex Deakin with details of the forecast track of Typhoon Megi.
Thousands of people in the Philippines have fled from their homes ahead of a powerful storm, Super-Typhoon Megi, which is expected to reach the north of the country early on Monday.
Megi, which has winds of up to more than 280km/h (175mph), is then forecast to move towards the South China Sea.
It is the strongest storm the Philippines has faced this year.
In 2006, a storm with winds of 155km/h triggered mudslides, burying villages and killing about 1,000 people.
'Zero casualties'The northern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela are on the highest storm alert.
Officials are warning of heavy rain and high winds that could damage buildings, power supplies and agriculture.
Emergency services have been stocking up on food and medicines, says the BBC's Kate McGeown in the capital, Manila.
Continue reading the main story“Start Quote
End Quote Benito Ramos Disaster-response officialThis is like preparing for war. We know the past lessons and we're aiming for zero casualties”
Government forecasters say waves off the east coast could be greater than 14m (46ft). They have warned against travel to the region.
Thousands of soldiers and officers are on standby.
Trucks, rescue boats and food packs have been pre-positioned near vulnerable areas, said Benito Ramos, a senior disaster-response official.
"This is like preparing for war," he told the Associated Press. "We know the past lessons and we're aiming for zero casualties."
Schools in the north will be closed on Monday.
Farmers were being urged to harvest as many of their crops as possible before the typhoon hit, our correspondent says.
The area in the storm's path is one of the country's main rice-growing regions.
In July, President Benigno Aquino sacked the head of the weather bureau after he failed to predict a typhoon which unexpectedly changed course and hit Manila, killing more than 100 people.
BBC News - Severn barrage tidal energy scheme expected to be axed
17 October 2010 Last updated at 11:28 ETShare this page
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Severn barrage tidal energy scheme expected to be axed
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is to make an announcement on energy policy on Monday
Plans for a controversial £30bn Severn barrage tidal energy project stretching from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset to Cardiff are expected to be scrapped.
Secretary of State for Energy Chris Huhne is expected to make the announcement in Parliament on Monday.
Reports suggest the scheme is to be axed as it is not "financially viable" and that instead he will give the go-ahead to new nuclear power stations.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change could not confirm or deny it.
Continue reading the main storyRelated stories
Supporters of the tidal project, which would link Lavernock Point near Cardiff, to Brean Down near Weston-Super-Mare, claimed it could generate 5% of Britain's electricity.
Dr Rob Kirby, an independent expert on the Severn Estuary, has worked on the project for the last 40 years.
Dr Kirby, who has worked with the Department for Energy and Climate Change on the Severn barrage, said: "The government's view is that it's too big a project to approach in financial terms.
'Environmental fundamentalism'"Raising the money in this financial climate would be too much of a challenge.
"The barrage has been killed off for the moment by environmental fundamentalism because environmentalists have always objected to the Severn barrage.
"It's quite unambiguous - the Cardiff to Weston (barrage) can only benefit the environment and those who say otherwise are not telling the truth."
Shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said scrapping the barrage would be "equally disastrous" for the economy and the environment.
Continue reading the main story“Start Quote
End Quote Chris Witts River Severn historianWe're messing with nature in too big a way”
"Not only is Chris Huhne turning his back on the proposed barrage scheme that would have created hundreds of good quality green jobs for Welsh people, it appears that he decided to abandon in its entirety the idea of using the Severn estuary as a generator of electricity.
"The proposed barrage would have produced 5% of the UK's energy needs - equivalent to two nuclear power stations."
The proposals caused concern among environmental groups, including the RSPB and Friends of the Earth Cymru (FoE), concerned about the impact on wildlife in the estuary.
FoE said the proposals would have caused "irreversible damage" to wildlife, while harnessing the power of the Severn's tides with lagoons and reefs were "better options" which needed to be urgently looked at.
Chris Witts, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Gloucester City Council and a River Severn historian, said: "I'm delighted if the barrage is to be scrapped.
"We're messing with nature in too big a way. I hear stories from around the world that barrages have created problems and I wouldn't want to see problems created on the Severn.
"I'm not against getting energy from the Severn but not with a barrage on this scale."
The 10-mile (16km) barrage proposal - known as the Cardiff-Weston barrage - is one of five shortlisted schemes to harness renewable energy from the tides of the Severn Estuary, which has the second-largest tidal range in the world with 42ft (12.8m) tides.
The barrage would harness water power using a hydro-electric dam, but would be filled by the incoming tide rather than by water flowing downstream.
BBC News - India to probe 'corruption' at Commonwealth Games
16 October 2010 Last updated at 00:42 ETShare this page
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India to probe 'corruption' at Commonwealth Games
There were initial complaints about the condition of the athletes' village
India is to probe allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Investigators will look into the awarding of contracts and how the work was supervised.
Former Auditor-General VK Shunglu is to look at all aspects of the event's organisation and planning.
The Games were initially beset by construction delays and complaints about the athletes' accommodation, but were later hailed as a success.
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After the troubled start, Commonwealth Games head Mike Fennell praised the event as competition drew to a close.
Despite that praise, India's prime minister said an investigation was needed into an event which became a global story for the wrong reasons.
"The government has decided to constitute a high-level committee under... VK Shunglu to look into all matters relating to organising and conduct of the Commonwealth Games 2010," said a spokesman for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Investigators are due to visit the Games' organising committee on Monday to audit its accounts.
With just days before the Games opened, workers were racing to finish the athletes' village. Some teams initially held back their athletes after reports emerged of dirty bathrooms and exposed wiring and flooding.
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