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Differing forecasts widen scope of Typhoon Hagupit

Fishermen tow their fishing boat to a drier area after a day's work Friday, Dec. 5, 2014 off Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines. A wide swath of the Philippines, including the capital Manila, braced Friday for a dangerously erratic and powerful typhoon approaching from the Pacific, about a year after the country was lashed by Typhoon Haiyan that left more than 7,300 people dead. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Fishermen tow their fishing boat to a drier area after a day's work Friday, Dec. 5, 2014 off Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines. A wide swath of the Philippines, including the capital Manila, braced Friday for a dangerously erratic and powerful typhoon approaching from the Pacific, about a year after the country was lashed by Typhoon Haiyan that left more than 7,300 people dead. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Fishermen tow their fishing boat to a drier area after a day's work Friday, Dec. 5, 2014 off Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines. A wide swath of the Philippines, including the capital Manila, braced Friday for a dangerously erratic and powerful typhoon approaching from the Pacific, about a year after the country was lashed by Typhoon Haiyan that left more than 7,300 people dead. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

By Associated Press 3 min read

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – A ferocious and dangerously erratic typhoon blew closer to the Philippines Friday, as differing forecasts about its path – one predicting it will graze the capital Manila – prompted a much wider swath of the country to prepare for a weekend of possibly destructive winds and rain.

Typhoon Hagupit -Filipino for “Smash” – was expected to blast in from the Pacific Ocean into central Philippines, lashing part of the area that was devastated by last year’s Typhoon Haiyan that killed more than 7,300 people. Still, the good news was that the typhoon was weakening as it blew closer to the coast.

“I’m scared,” said Haiyan survivor Jojo Moro. “I’m praying to God not to let another disaster strike us again. We haven’t recovered from the first.”

The 42-year-old businessman who lost his wife, daughter and mother last year in central Tacloban city, said he stocked up on sardines, instant noodles, eggs and water.

Hagupit is expected to slam into Eastern Samar province late Saturday, then cut across central islands along a route north. But its path thereafter is debatable.