Japan, Australia offer aid for ‘Ompong’ victims
MANILA, Philippines — As typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) continues its rampage while on its way out of the Philippine landmass, Japan and Australia have offered aid for victims of the strongest typhoon this year.
Arriving with maximum sustained winds of up to 205 kilometers per hour and gusts as strong as 285 kilometers per hour, "Ompong" slammed the coastal town of Baggao in Cagayan province and made its presence known across the Luzon island at 1:40 a.m.
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According to state weather forecasters, "Ompong" continues to weaken after it hit land. Many areas are still under storm signal warnings.
Authorities did not provide further details on the assistance being offered by Japan and Australia, adding they are still waiting for an “assessment” to determine if there’s a “wide scale” need for foreign aid.
“But we are accepting international assistance based on the needs of the various agencies,” they said.
The monster storm’s powerful wind and rain have triggered landslides in areas it pounded. It also caused heavy damage on an airport terminal, knocked out power and communication lines and blew off roofs.
In its 11 a.m. advisory, the state weather bureau said “Ompong” packs maximum sustained winds of 170 kilometers per hour near the center from the previous 185 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 260 kph from the previous 305 kph. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
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