3 years after Haiyan, super typhoon Haima threatens Philippines once more; weather bureau raises signal no. 5

Many Filipinos are bracing for a possible repeat of a nightmare they experience in late 2013 when super typhoon battered the country, killed more than 7,300 people and almost leveled to the ground a port city in the Visayas region. Ironically, both super typhoons have similar-sounding names, but the country is hopeful it has better chances of surviving the new category 5 super typhoon Haima.

Locally named Lawin, or hawk, the super typhoon is expected to make a landfall on Wednesday, prompting the Philippine weather bureau to raise signal no. 5. Other measures to avert a disasters similar to what Haiyan (Yolanda) caused include suspension of classes in all affected regions and pre-emptive evacuation of residents in high-risk areas, ABS-CBN reports.

Haima, as of 2 pm, was packing top sustained winds of 223 kph near the center and has gusts of up to 315 kph. The weather bureau raised signal no. 5 in two northern province – Cagayan and Isabela, no. 4 in eight provinces/areas, no. 3 in five provinces, no 2 in eight provinces and areas and no 1 in 14 areas, including the flood-prone national capital region.

If Lawin would make a landfall in the Cagayan-Isabela area either at 11 pm of Wednesday or 2 am of Thursday, it would cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte, moving westward at 25 kph, CNN reports.

Flights were cancelled and the Philippine Coast Guard prohibited sea travel and fishing, New York Times reports.