Americans warned of Pacific typhoons

: COMING STORM. A woman covers her head during an afternoon shower on Thursday in New York City as the Eastern Seaboard prepares for Hurricane “Irene.” AFP

The US Department of State has warned Americans based in the Western Pacific, including the Philippines, that around 31 typhoons, “about half of which have the potential to cause severe destruction,” are likely to hit the region between June and November this year.

In a travel alert posted on the website of the United States Embassy in Manila, the state department said the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “recommends that those in hurricane and typhoon-prone regions begin preparations for the upcoming storm season.”

“For information on typhoon warnings, please consult the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, the National Weather Service’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center–Tokyo Typhoon Center,” it said, noting that additional information on typhoons “can be found on the department’s “Hurricane Season: Know Before You Go” webpage.

The state department said that “in the aftermath of some previous storms, US citizens traveling abroad encountered uncomfortable and often dangerous conditions that lasted for several days while they waited for transportation back to the US. In the past, many US citizens were forced to delay travel due to infrastructure damage to airports and limited flight availability.”

“Roads were also washed out or obstructed by debris, adversely affecting access to airports and land routes out of affected areas. In many places, storms often are accompanied by damaging high tides and flooding. If you are living close to the ocean or other bodies of water, you may be at higher risk of flooding,” it said.

According to the Washington, DC-based agency, “landslides and mudslides also are serious concerns during heavy rains. Reports of looting and sporadic violence in the aftermath of natural disasters are not uncommon. Security personnel may not be readily available to assist.”

“In the event of a storm, travelers should be aware that they may not be able to depart the affected area for 24 to 48 hours or longer,” it said.