Typhoon Mangkhut debuted last week as the strongest storm of the year, throttling the Pacific ocean as it tore through the Philippines with winds reaching 130mph. The storm has now passed over Hong Kong, and is forcing China to evacuate millions. Typhoon Mangkhut became one of the world’s strongest storms for a time, debuting in the Pacific as hurricane Florence took to the Atlantic Ocean. The two storms are symptomatic of the annual hurricane season, where atmospheric conditions allow more extreme weather patterns to form over open ocean.
Titanic waves and destructive winds have now driven straight into the Philippines, triggering widespread landslides which have trapped many underneath. Death tolls in the region sit at 64, with at least 40 others feared trapped among debris and mud. Typhoon Mangkhut has progressed into to the south China sea and over Hong Kong, where wind speeds have started to diminish. The system’s winds have climbed down from a maximum of 127 mph but still remain a force to be reckoned with at 107 mph. Now, Mangkhut is located 154 miles west of Hong Kong and is traveling in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 19 mph. READ MORE
