Forecaster sees 16 more storms to hit Philippines this year

Xinhua: Sixteen more tropical cyclones, after the devastating typhoon Fengshen, may enter the Philippines till December, a weather forecaster said on Friday. "We should be more prepared for the possibility of another Frank (local name for Fengshen)" said weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz on a TV show. Nathaniel Cruz is from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Fengshen swept through over a dozen provinces in the central Philippines last weekend, left 629 people dead and more than 900 still missing, according to the latest data from the government. A passenger ship, with 862 on board, was overturn at the height of the typhoon and only 56 survivors have been confirmed by authorities.

Meanwhile, more than 6 billion pesos (135 million U.S. dollars)of damage to crop and property has been recorded by the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council. Cruz said the unpredictability and power of typhoon Fengshen showed signs of the effects of climate change and global warming. PAGASA is expecting 16 more tropical cyclones to enter the country till December, he said…..

Typhoon Fengshen crossing the Philippines, NASA, Wikimedia Commons