ANOTHER TYPHOON HEADING FOR PHILIPPINES

Typhoon Lupit is continuing to move toward the Philippines on 19 October 2009 and is forecast to strike in northern Luzon on 22 October. As of 0900, the storm was located approximately 750 mi/1,210 km east-northeast of Manila and was moving west-northwest at 12 mph/10 kt. Lupit had maximum sustained winds of 150 mph/130 kt and gusts of up to 296 mph/160 kt. The system is expected to continue on a westerly path and weaken slightly before making landfall on 22 October. Meanwhile, the Philippine government deployed emergency vehicles, including boats and helicopters, to northern Luzon, where Lupit is projected to make landfall. Military officials stated that food and other supplies have been pre-positioned in order to ensure that recovery efforts run smoothly. Residents in areas forecast to be in the direct line of the storm have been advised to evacuate in light of the recent devastation caused by both Ketsana and Parma, which triggered numerous floods and landslides.The impacted areas have yet to recover from those two previous storms.