Children were seen playing near the powerful waves of the Pasig River during Super Typhoon Man-Yi in Manila, Philippines, on November 17, 2024. — Reuters
Super Typhoon Man-Yi made its way across the Philippines' main island of Luzon on Sunday, posing a threat of heavy rainfall in Metro Manila, the capital region, after prompting over a million evacuations and causing structural damage in various areas. With wind speeds reaching 185 kmph, the typhoon slightly weakened after making landfall in Panganiban, Catanduanes province, on Saturday night, moving towards the coastal waters of Camarines Norte province by 8am, according to weather officials.
"We evacuated because whenever there's a typhoon, the water level in the nearby river rises," explained Amalia Santisas, a resident near the coastal areas of Manila, who complied with evacuation orders. "We have children with us, and we are frightened," added Santisas, who was among the more than a million people evacuated to avoid storm surges.
Despite the extensive evacuations, no casualties were reported, although the typhoon's strong winds caused damage to homes, schools, and commercial buildings in Catanduanes, according to civil defence chief Ariel Nepomuceno. Man-Yi, the sixth tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in a month, is now heading towards the southern and central parts of Luzon.
The state weather agency, PAGASA, stated in a release, "Pepito is forecast to slightly weaken as a typhoon before its second landfall," using the storm's domestic name, and urged precautionary measures. "Significant weakening will occur as this tropical cyclone passes over mainland Luzon today." The highest storm alert has also been issued for the eastern parts of the Polillo and Calaguas islands.
Winds had diminished in the Catanduanes town of Virac, and the rain had subsided to a drizzle, enabling some of the shelter-seekers to return home, according to provincial disaster officer Roberto Monterola, who spoke to DZBB radio.
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