Super Typhoon Mekkhala strengthens to Category 16, moves toward Philippines and Japan

Typhoon Mekkhala intensified overnight into a Category 16 super‑typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 184‑201 km/h and gusts exceeding Category 17 levels, making it the strongest June storm in the Northwest Pacific in the past 22 years. At 04:00 GMT on 23 June it was located near 18.8°N‑125.2°E, about 300 km east of Luzon, Philippines, and began shifting northward along the east Philippine coast toward Okinawa and southern Japan. Forecasts indicate a slow north‑north‑west drift at roughly 5 km/h, followed by a turn to the northeast toward the Tosa Bay area of Japan, where the system is expected to weaken.

A new tropical low‑pressure area was also observed near 14.9°N‑146.2°E, roughly 3 000 km from the East Sea, with the potential to develop into a tropical cyclone. Vietnamese meteorologists are monitoring both systems, noting that while El Niño may reduce the overall number of cyclones in the East Sea this season, strong storms like Mekkhala can still pose significant hazards.

"Mekkhala is the strongest June typhoon in 22 years in the Northwest Pacific," said Mai Văn Khiêm, director of Vietnam's National Center for Hydro‑Meteorological Forecasting.