Typhoon Hagupit forces thousands to evacuate coastal areas

Typhoon Hagupit forced thousands of people to evacuate coastal areas on 24 September 2008. The storm made landfall at approximately 0645 (2245UTC) and was downgraded from a category 4 storm to a 3 (on a scale of 5). According to meteorologists at Wilkens Weather Technologies, as of 0900 UTC the storm was currently located 180 mi/290 km west-northwest of Hong Kong, close to the Vietnamese-Chinese border. Average wind speeds are currently 75 mph/65 kt with gusts of up to 92 mph/80 kt. Rain and flooding is in the forecast and poses a severe threat to the region. Airport authorities strongly encourage passengers to check the status of their flights prior to arriving at airports due to flights being canceled and disrupted on 23 September.