Typhoon Mitag Blows Through Philippines, Heads Towards Taiwan: Tropical Storm Lando U-Turns Back To Philippines

At least eight people have died after a strong typhoon, Mitag, battered the Philippines this weekend and Monday.

The storm struck with Category 1 hurricane strength, and it remains a weak Category 1 hurricane as it continues on toward Taiwan, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. It is, however, expected to lose strength over the next few hours and days. It is not expected to make landfall on Taiwan directly, but the sea is treacherous, and Taiwan has issued warnings reflecting that.

Typhoon Mitag was the second deadly storm to strike the Philippines in
the space of a few days. The first, Tropical Storm Hagibis (also called
Lando) made a remarkable U-turn after passing the Philippines, and is
expected to make a second landfall there late tomorrow.

Power outages, flash floods and landslides hit the northern Philippines on Monday amid heavy rains and strong winds brought by a powerful typhoon that has already killed eight people.

 
The National Disaster Co-ordinating Council said more than 140 000 people were evacuated in the northern Philippines, which was suffering the brunt of Typhoon Mitag.

 
The council said that so far, there were no casualties reported in the northern provinces, but two people were missing in Apayao province, 360km north of Manila.

 
The eight fatalities were from the eastern provinces of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, which Mitag skirted on the weekend. Seven of the victims drowned in flash floods while the eighth was electrocuted.