Thousands flee as typhoon threatens north Philippines, Taiwan

Manila, May 10: More than 2,000 people were fleeing their homes as Typhoon Noul approached the northern Philippines today, triggering warnings of possible flash floods, landslides and tsunami-like storm surges. The storm’s movement has slowed slightly but it has also strengthened to pack gusts of 220 kilometres per hour, said Esperanza Cayanan, chief of the government’s weather monitoring division. It was expected to hit the northern edge of the country’s main island of Luzon by late this afternoon or evening. In Taiwan, which is also in the storm’s predicted path, authorities warned sailors of strong winds and high waves and evacuated almost 1,000 tourists from an island off the southeast coast. Cayanan said the northern Philippine province of Cagayan was expected to feel the brunt of the typhoon later in the day when it made landfall there.