Typhoon Gaemi Halts Work, Classes in Philippines

Typhoon Gaemi and a southwest monsoon brought heavy rain to the Philippine capital region and northern provinces, prompting authorities to halt work and classes, while stock and foreign exchange trading were suspended.

The presidential office suspended classes at all academic levels and work in most government offices in the capital region, which is composed of 16 cities and home to at least 13 million people, because of the tropical storm.

Gaemi, with maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 190 kph, was heading towards Taiwan, the Philippines' state weather agency said in a 5 am bulletin.

Gaemi and another tropical storm, Prapiroon, hit southern Philippines and caused floods last week, resulting in seven deaths.

The Philippine coastguard said 354 passengers and 31 vessels were stranded in ports.

The Philippines sees an average of 20 tropical storms annually, causing floods and deadly landslides.

Taiwan hunkered down ahead of the arrival of Gaemi, with financial markets closed, people given the day off work, flights canceled, and the military put on stand-by amid forecasts of torrential rain and strong winds.

Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season to affect Taiwan, is expected to make landfall on the northeast coast, according to the island's Central Weather Administration.

In rural Yilan county, where the typhoon will first hit land, wind and rain gathered strength, shutting breakfast eateries and roads mostly emptied.

Many international and almost all domestic flights were canceled at Taipei's Songshan Airport in anticipation of Typhoon Gaemi making landfall on Taiwan's east coast later in the evening.

International travelers were rushing to leave Taiwan, trying to avoid being stuck there for another few days.

Some mountainous central and southern Taiwan counties are expected to see total rainfall of up to 1,800 millimeters during the typhoon, the weather administration said.