Typhoon Mangkhut continues on path toward the Philippines

Typhoon Mangkhut continued to barrel toward the northern Philippines on Friday, a day before it is expected to make landfall, as residents continue to prepare for the strongest storm so far this year. Forecasters predict the storm, categorized by the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning center as a “super typhoon,” likely will make landfall close to Isabela province early Saturday. Philippine state forecaster Chris Perez said the typhoon will then move across the northern part of the country.

The typhoon puts more than 4 million people at risk, according to authorities, who raised storm warnings in the capital city of Manila and in nearly all provinces across the main northern island of Luzon. Video footage from Cagayan residents showed strong winds and heavy rains already lashing the province. Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said authorities continued to evacuate some 1.2 million people from coastal villages and other high-risk regions.

Typhoon Mangkhut is expected to descend next on the Chinese mainland early on Monday. China’s Guangdong province has set up 3,777 shelters and evacuated more than 100,000 residents.