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updated 11:07 a.m. EST, Wed November 21, 2007 * Story Highlights
* Tropical Storm Mitag could become dangerous super typhoon,
forecaster says
* About 200,000 in Philippines expected to be moved to shelters
* Vietnam says 74,000 fishermen put in danger by Tropical Storm Hagibis MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
ordered the evacuation of thousands of people in the eastern Philippines
ahead of a powerful tropical storm, officials said Wednesday
In one province alone, officials estimated that up to 200,000 people
would be evacuated to gymnasiums, churches and schools by Friday when
Tropical Storm Mitag was forecast to make landfall. And in Vietnam, the government said Tropical Storm Hagibis was expected
to hit the country's southern region Saturday. Mitag could became a "super typhoon" with winds of more than 138 mph by
the time it hits land in the Philippines, chief government forecaster
Nathaniel Cruz said. "It's still far, and that means we still have time to conduct
preparedness," Cruz said. "With two days in the open sea, it has a big
potential to become a very strong typhoon." Video Watch the
international weather forecast » Recent rains have saturated the ground around Mayon volcano in Bicol,
and the president was worried there could be a repeat of last year's
landslides and flash floods that killed more than 1,000 people, said
Anthony Golez, deputy director of the Office of Civil Defense. Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay, where last year's Typhoon Durian unleashed
tons of volcanic debris that wiped out entire villages, said some
schools will be used as temporary shelters. The same communities devastated last year were again flooded Wednesday.
A wooden bridge connecting two villages in Daraga township was washed
away, local officials said. Evacuations also were reported from the provincial capital of Legazpi
and nearby Daraga township, Cedric Daep, executive officer of the Albay
disaster office, said. He said many residents were terrified after the devastation last time. "If we don't prepare now, they will be more scared," he said. In neighboring Sorsogon province, radio announcements advised officials,
community leaders and the public to prepare to evacuate, provincial
disaster officer Noel Pura said. Vietnam said Wednesday that tens of thousands of fishermen may be in
danger as a Tropical Storm Hagibis approaches the country's coastal regions. About 74,000 fishermen were still working near the Spratly archipelago
in the South China Sea, where a low tropical depression Tuesday was
upgraded to a tropical storm, a government web posting said. Nearly 12,000 fishing boats are still at sea. Vietnam has asked other
countries in the region to allow its fishermen enter their water to seek
shelters, the report said.
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