12 fishermen missing after Typhoon Molave causes landslides and floods in the Philippines
A destroyed house lies on its side after Typhoon Molave hit the town of Pola in Oriental Mindoro province in the Philippines on Oct. 26. (Photo: AFP)
Nearly 1.3 million people are set to be evacuated in Vietnam as it prepares for the impact of Typhoon Molave.
With wind speeds of 125kph and gusts of up to 150kph, the typhoon left the main Philippine island of Luzon on Oct. 26, with heavy rain causing seven landslides and floods in 11 areas.
Although there were no reports of casualties, 12 fishermen failed to return to Catanduanes province off the country's eastern coast.
Molave, known as Typhoon Quinta in the Philippines, was the 17th typhoon to hit the country this year.
It will be the fourth storm to hit Vietnam in a month, with floods and landslides killing 130 people and leaving 20 missing in the central region.
When Molave makes landfall in Vietnam on Oct. 28, wind speeds are forecast to reach 135kph.
The Southeast Asian country is prone to destructive storms and flooding due to its long coastline.
"This is a very strong typhoon that will impact a large area," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in an urgent warning to provinces and cities in the typhoon’s path.
He compared Molave to Typhoon Damrey, which killed more than 100 people in central Vietnam in 2017. He ordered boats ashore and told security forces to get ready.
"Troops must deploy full force to support people, including mobilizing helicopters, tanks and other means of transportation if needed," Phuc said.
About 11.8 million people in Vietnam's coastal provinces are exposed to the threat of intense flooding, with 35 percent of settlements located on crowded and eroding coastlines, according to a recent World Bank report.
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