Typhoon Fengshen closing in

The Philippines placed army units on alert on Friday as Typhoon Fengshen swept into the center of the archipelago with gusts of up to 140 kph (87 mph).

Fengshen, the sixth typhoon to hit the Southeast Asian country this year, was expected to dump rains over the Philippines’ eastern islands before heading back out into the Pacific Ocean south of Okinawa, local weather forecasters said.

The central government put the military on standby to help in case of flash floods and landslides.

Nine provinces were put on alert to stockpile medicines, food and fuel and to stop small ferries from leaving ports.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was forced to cancel a trip to the central Philippines due to the typhoon. Around 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, triggering flooding and mass evacuations.

Environmental groups blame illegal logging for making flooding worse, particularly in the central Philippines, where more than 5,000 people were killed in 1991 by flood waters triggered by a typhoon.

Update: 8:32pm Pinoy time.
Fengshen came in over North Bicol. Reports say that there is heavy rain. Beware of landslides.
The Philippines placed army units on alert on Friday as Typhoon Fengshen swept into the center of the archipelago.

Please cross your fingers for me. I am sitting in Manila NAIA waiting for my flight to Cacayan de Oro.