Ships advised to avoid north Sabah waters after Super Typhoon Haiyan hits Philippines
A screen grab from an AFP video showing Typhoon Haiyan lashing the Philippines, triggering storms and flash floods.
PETALING JAYA: Ships have been
advised to stay away from north Sabah waters until Tuesday, after Super
Typhoon Haiyan slammed into central Philippines early Friday.
Meteorological Department central forecasting office director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said Haiyan - one of the strongest typhoons in recorded history - would result in dangerous conditions for ships and ferries.
"Our advice is for ships and ferries to cease activities in north Sabahan waters. Large or very large ships might be able to stand the strong winds and rough seas," he told The Star.
He said it would be very dangerous for ships to go north into Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) waters at the moment, adding that Haiyan was expected to travel west towards Vietnam.
Muhammad added that the typhoon's effects would be more dangerous in Philippine waters, although he expected the storm to "lose its strength" after making landfall.
A Reuters report said Haiyan landed on central Philippine islands Friday morning with winds of up to 315kph and waves up to 5m high.
Ferries, flights and fishing operations there have been suspended, while thousands of people have been evacuated.
Closer to home, the MetMalaysia website said that Haiyan was about 938km away from Sandakan.
It said that strong north-easterly and north-westerly winds of 50 to 60kph with waves of up to 4.5m high were occurring on waters off Sabah's west coast, Kudat, Sandakan and Labuan.
"This condition of strong winds and rough seas is dangerous to all shipping and coastal activities, including fishing and ferry services," MetMalaysia said.
It also upgraded its storm warning level to "Second Category" up from "First" (dangerous to small boats).
The Star Online
Friday, 8 November,2013.
Meteorological Department central forecasting office director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said Haiyan - one of the strongest typhoons in recorded history - would result in dangerous conditions for ships and ferries.
"Our advice is for ships and ferries to cease activities in north Sabahan waters. Large or very large ships might be able to stand the strong winds and rough seas," he told The Star.
He said it would be very dangerous for ships to go north into Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) waters at the moment, adding that Haiyan was expected to travel west towards Vietnam.
Muhammad added that the typhoon's effects would be more dangerous in Philippine waters, although he expected the storm to "lose its strength" after making landfall.
A Reuters report said Haiyan landed on central Philippine islands Friday morning with winds of up to 315kph and waves up to 5m high.
Ferries, flights and fishing operations there have been suspended, while thousands of people have been evacuated.
Closer to home, the MetMalaysia website said that Haiyan was about 938km away from Sandakan.
It said that strong north-easterly and north-westerly winds of 50 to 60kph with waves of up to 4.5m high were occurring on waters off Sabah's west coast, Kudat, Sandakan and Labuan.
"This condition of strong winds and rough seas is dangerous to all shipping and coastal activities, including fishing and ferry services," MetMalaysia said.
It also upgraded its storm warning level to "Second Category" up from "First" (dangerous to small boats).
The Star Online
Friday, 8 November,2013.
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