The most powerful typhoon to hit Asia this year swept through the Philippines and Taiwan on Saturday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds and causing flooding in Taiwan. The typhoon is now headed toward the Pearl River Delta, a densely populated area in Hong Kong.
Super Typhoon Usagi had maximum sustained winds of 139 mph and gusts exceeding 163 mph Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the AP reported. It battered the northern Philippine island of Luzon on one side while striking Taiwan on its north side, moving toward China, reports the New York Times. At least two people were killed in the Philippines, and two others were missing.
Roughly 3,000 people were evacuated from low-lying and mountainous areas in Taiwan out of fear of flooding and landslides while in the Philippines the typhoon caused power failures and evacuations, with landslides in the north. The storm system dumped up to 20 inches of rain along the eastern and southern coasts in a 20-hour period, with officials warning that more than 39 inches could drop before the storm leaves Sunday.
However, throughout the course of the day, the storm weakened from a super typhoon which has sustained winds of at least 150 miles per hour. By Saturday evening, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 108 mph and gusts of up to 131 mph, and was 94 miles southwest of Taiwan's southernmost point.
Gusts exceeding 144 mph were recorded on the Taiwanese island of Lanyu, with dangerous winds buffeting the holiday resort of Kending on the Hengchun peninsula as the storm made its closest approach to the area.
The Hong Kong Observatory said late Saturday night that Usagi's maximum sustained winds would weaken to 103 mph as it approaches Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon before making landfall overnight. The observatory issued a No. 3 Standby Signal and warned that the storm posed a "severe threat" to the city.