Storm leaves 82 dead in northern Philippines and forecasters warn it may make a U-turn
LA TimesTropical Storm Trami blew away from the northwestern Philippines on Friday, leaving at least 82 people dead in landslides and extensive flooding that forced authorities to scramble for more rescue boats to save thousands of terrified people, who were trapped, some on their roofs. But the onslaught may not be over: State forecasters raised the rare possibility that the storm — the 11th and one of the deadliest to hit the Philippines this year — could make a U-turn next week as it is pushed back by high-pressure winds in the South China Sea. The Philippine weather agency, however, said it’s possible that high-pressure winds and other weather factors in the South China Sea could force the storm to turn back toward the Philippines. State forecaster Jofren Habaluyas told the AP that Trami’s possible U-turn has drawn interest among government weather experts in Asia, including those from Japan, which has been providing information to the Philippines to help track the storm.