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Philippines, southern China brace for storm 'Carina'

Story highlights
  • Central Philippines is receiving heavy rainfall as a tropical depression approaches
  • Carina is expected to strengthen into a typhoon and arrive in the Philippines Saturday night
  • It could then make its way to the southern coast of China and Hong Kong

(CNN) Heavy rains are battering central Philippines as Tropical Depression Carina makes her way toward the country, with the possibility of striking southern China later.

The central provinces of Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate are on alert for flash floods and landslides triggered by the rains, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Saturday afternoon.

Carina's sustained winds of 55 kilometers an hour are relatively mild but the storm is expected to strengthen quickly and become a typhoon prior to reaching the far northern Philippines Saturday night.

It also advised that Carina would create moderate to rough seas over the east coast of Luzon in the north, and the Visayas in central Philippines.

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The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council held a meeting on Friday and Saturday to ensure disaster prevention measures were in place, CNN Phillippines reported.

Meanwhile Hong Kong and Guangdong province in mainland China are also bracing for a possible impact on Tuesday.

"Though there are still uncertainties in its track and intensity, it is expected to pose a threat to the coast of Guangdong," the Hong Kong Observatory said Saturday.

CNN's Taylor Ward contributed to this report.
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