Typhoon Usagi Approaches the Philippines

On Thursday, Typhoon Usagi, known locally as Ofel, was racing towards the Philippines with the intensity of a Category 4 storm. Authorities issued warnings about the potential for extensive flooding and landslides in the northern regions of the country. This powerful storm marks the fifth significant weather event to impact the Philippines in just three weeks, following Typhoons Toraji, Trami, Yinxing, and Kong-rey, which collectively resulted in over 100 fatalities and widespread destruction.

This week was particularly unusual, as four tropical storms were simultaneously active in and around the South China Sea and the North Pacific, marking a historic occurrence for the month of November, according to meteorological records.

Usagi was projected to make landfall on the northern part of Luzon, the Philippines’ most populated island, on Thursday afternoon. The storm boasted maximum sustained winds reaching 150 miles per hour, as reported by the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center. For comparison, this wind speed is equivalent to that of a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) noted that Usagi might intensify even further before landfall.

Tracking Super Typhoon Usagi

For detailed updates, view the projected path and wind arrival times for Usagi.

PAGASA forecasted that the northeastern region of Luzon could receive over eight inches of rainfall, raising concerns about flash flooding. The agency also cautioned that Usagi may generate storm surges of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) in certain coastal areas.

After passing through the Philippines, Usagi is expected to move towards Taiwan, prompting the Central Weather Administration to issue a sea typhoon warning on Thursday morning.

The recent series of typhoons has stretched the Philippines’ disaster relief resources thin. In response, the United Nations announced the approval of $3.5 million in humanitarian funds aimed at supporting U.N. agencies operating in the region. Gustavo Gonzalez, who oversees U.N. humanitarian operations in the Philippines, remarked in a statement, “Typhoons are overlapping. As soon as communities attempt to recover from the shock, the next tropical storm is already hitting them again.”