Manila (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A powerful typhoon has been lashing the northern Philippines since early morning: at
least 23 fishermen are missing and several
provinces are without
electricity. According to initial reports Utor - the name given
to the cyclone - has
winds of up to 200 km / h and
will not leave the archipelago before
this evening, when it is forecast to move along the southern coast of China.
Torrential rains have also hit the capital Manila, where
authorities have ordered the closure of some schools. So far there has been no reported damage. Several
domestic flights were canceled.
The most affected areas are the province of Aurora, without power, and the
Bicol region, where more than a thousand
people spent the night in shelters.
The missing fishermen are all from the province of Cataduandes,
an island that is located in the Bicol region. The authorities hope that the 23 men sought shelter in the surrounding islets, waiting for the storm to pass.
Of the average 20 typhoons that hit the Philippines per year, Utor
is the 12th of
2013.