Typhoon Yancy skimmed the northern tip of the Philippines' main Luzon island today with wind gusts of up to 91 miles per hour and was approaching southern Taiwan, the Manila weather bureau said. In a weather bulletin issued at noon (midnight EDT Friday), Yancy was centered 175 miles northeast of Basco City, the capital of Batanes province, an island group about 410 miles north of Manila. No casualties or major damage have been reported. Forecasters said Yancy gained strength overnight with sustained winds of 81 mph and gusts of 91 mph. Yancy also slowed down and was moving west-northwest at 7 mph, forecasters said. Senior weather forecaster Daniel Dimagiba said that if Yancy maintains its present course, the sixth major weather disturbance to strike the country this year will move out of Philippine territory by Sunday morning and hit southern Taiwan. Dimagiba said Yancy has a radius of 375 miles, which would mean its effect could be felt as far as the central Philippines. Provinces in the entire Luzon island, including Manila, have been placed on storm alert because of this, he added. Sea travel in the typhoon's path was ``extremely dangerous'' and the weather bureau had advised ships and smaller seacraft to stay in port. Philippine Airlines canceled eight flights from Manila to the affected areas. About 20 typhoons and storms hit the Philippines yearly.
