Philippines warns of flooding as Surigae becomes a super typhoon

The Philippines warned of flash floods and landslides when Surigae intensified while on the water, becoming the first super typhoon of 2021.

The typhoon, known locally as Bising, which now has the strength of a Category 5 hurricane, is located over the Philippine Sea east of the Bicol region, the nation weather agency said Sunday. While the storm is not expected to hit land, it will bring heavy rains and high winds to the Eastern provinces as it moves northwest with peak winds of 215 kilometers (134 miles) per hour and gusts of until 265 kilometers per hour.

The American Joint Typhoon Warning Center has labeled Surigae as one super typhoon, with maximum sustained wind of 165 knots and gusts until 200 knots.

“Given the uncertainty in the typhoon’s orbit prediction, a westward shift of the current forecast track could potentially have significant implications,” said the Philippine Weather Bureau. “The possibility of a close-approach scenario is not excluded.”

An average of 20 typhoons pass through the Philippines every year. In 2013, Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people.