MANILA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tropical cyclone Kong-rey intensified into a "super typhoon" on Wednesday, threatening to dump heavy rains and severe winds in many regions in the northern Philippines, the Philippines' state weather bureau said.
The warning came as the Philippines' Department of National Defense reported an additional 20 deaths from the massive flooding and landslides triggered by tropical storm Trami, bringing the total death toll from last week's storm to 145. The agency said 37 more people were still missing.
While emergency workers race against time to find the missing people, rehabilitate the damaged roads and bridges, and distribute food and clothes to thousands of displaced villagers, the government now focuses on the possible impact of super typhoon Kong-rey, which blew into the country early this week.
The government has yet to report deaths related to Kong-rey.
On Wednesday, the bureau spotted the slow-moving Kong-rey 350 km east of Cagayan province in the northern Philippines. It was packing winds of 185 km per hour and gusts of up to 230 km per hour.
Many regions ravaged by Trami, including the hard-hit Bicol region, are in Kong-rey's path.
Kong-rey also threatens Batanes, the northernmost Philippine province. Early this month, super typhoon Krathon slammed the islands, causing massive damage to the island group.
The bureau said Kong-rey "will be closest to Batanese from late Wednesday evening to Thursday morning."
"This super typhoon will be near or at peak intensity during its closest point of approach to Batanes," the bureau added.
Kong-rey, the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, is expected to exit the Philippines on Thursday night or early Friday. ■
