Thousands Flee in Phillipines....Latest update dost_pagasa shows Category 5 Typhoon Noul 80 km E Aparri Cagayan - DodongPH

Latest update @dost_pagasa showsCategory 5 #TyphoonNoul 80 km E Aparri Cagayan - #DodongPH
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More than 2,000 people were fleeing their homes as Typhoon Noul approached the northern Philippines on Sunday, triggering warnings of possible flash floods, landslides and tsunami-like storm surges.

The storm's movement has slowed slightly but it has also strengthened to pack gusts of 220 kilometres (137 miles) per hour, said Esperanza Cayanan, chief of the government's weather monitoring division.

It was expected to hit the northern edge of the country's main island of Luzon by late Sunday afternoon or evening.

In Taiwan, which is also in the storm's predicted path, authorities warned sailors of strong winds and high waves and evacuated almost 1,000 tourists from an island off the southeast coast.