(CNN) -- Emergency crews were on standby Sunday as the Philippines braced for a typhoon that could trigger flooding and landslides.
Typhoon Megi, also known as Typhoon Juan, is expected to make landfall by Monday at or near super-typhoon strength, with winds possibly in excess of 200 kph (124 mph), according to Mario Montejo, secretary of the Philippines' science and technology.
On Sunday, Megi carried sustained winds of about 259 kph and gusts of up to 315 kph as it headed toward the Philippines, CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera said.
"That is a catastrophic kind of wind," Cabrera said.
Montejo said the government is alarmed by the speed and strength of the typhoon. He warned of potentially devastating effects the storm may wreak on the northern island of Luzon.
Residents in low-lying and coastal areas are advised to head for safer locations, and authorities are discussing the possibility of forced evacuations.
CNN
