Philippines stocking up on food, medicine ahead of new typhoon

Manila - Philippine relief officials on Monday were stocking up on food, medicine and other necessities ahead of a powerful typhoon that threatens northern provinces already reeling from back-to-back storms that killed 858 people. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), said relief goods have been flown into hard-to-to reach areas that are on the path of typhoon Lupit.

Teodoro said the country's armed forces have also been placed on high alert, especially in northern mountains and plains that could be badly hit by Lupit.

"We have pre-positioned food and other transportation assets ahead of the typhoon," he said. "We have reinforced our food stocks especially in areas which could be cut off."

The weather bureau said Lupit, with maximum winds of 175 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 210 kph, was expected to hit the northern provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and outlying areas on Thursday.

Officials were moving fast to prevent any more loss of life after typhoon Parma and storm Ketsana killed 858 people in the past two weeks.

Storm Ketsana dumped record rainfall in Manila and nearby provinces on September 26, triggering the worst flooding in 40 years.

A week later, typhoon Parma hovered around the northern mountains and plains for a week, causing massive landslides and floods.

The NDCC said more than 8.5 million people were affected by the two typhoons and damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at 27.71 billion pesos (602 million dollars).