Large waves crash against a seawall as Super Typhoon Man-yi approaches Legaspi City, Albay province on November 16, 2024. Photo: AFP
A super typhoon barreling towards the Philippines is intensifying and could have a 'potentially catastrophic' impact, according to the state weather forecaster, with millions of people at risk from storm surges. Over 650,000 individuals have evacuated their homes in anticipation of Super Typhoon Man-yi, which is expected to make landfall either later on Saturday or early Sunday, marking the sixth major storm to hit the archipelago in the past month. With wind gusts reaching up to 240 kilometers per hour (approximately 149 miles per hour), Man-yi is forecasted to strike the sparsely populated island province of Catanduanes as a super typhoon or at 'near peak intensity', according to the weather service.
'A potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation looms for the northeastern Bicol region as Super Typhoon 'Pepito' further intensifies,' the forecaster warned, using the local name for the storm and referring to the southern part of the main island of Luzon. Seas as high as 14 meters (46 feet) are expected around Catanduanes, while more than 7.6 million people face the risk of storm surges measuring one to three meters, the forecaster added.
At least 163 people have perished in the five storms that recently battered the Philippines, leaving thousands homeless and devastating crops and livestock. The government is urging people to heed evacuation warnings and seek safety promptly.
In Albay province, Legazpi City resident Myrna Perea and her family are sheltering in a school classroom with nine other families after being ordered to evacuate their shanty. Despite the hot and cramped conditions, Perea believes it is safer to be in the shelter.
Scientists warn that climate change is amplifying the intensity of storms, resulting in heavier rains, flash floods, and stronger gusts. The Southeast Asian nation typically experiences about 20 major storms and typhoons annually, but it is unusual for multiple such events to occur within a short period.
Evacuation centers on Catanduanes island in the typhoon-prone Bicol region are filling up, with the weather forecaster warning of 'widespread incidents of severe flooding and landslides'. Power has been shut down in preparation for the storm, with shelters and the command center relying on generators.
More than 400 people have taken refuge in the provincial government building in the capital Virac, with additional evacuees being directed to a gymnasium. Provincial disaster officer Roberto Monterola has dispatched soldiers to force about 100 households in two coastal villages near Virac to move inland due to the threat of storm surges.
The mayor of Naga city in Camarines Sur province has imposed a curfew from midday on Saturday to ensure residents stay indoors. In Northern Samar province, disaster officer Rei Josiah Echano highlighted that typhoon damage is a significant cause of poverty in the region.
All vessels, from fishing boats to oil tankers, have been ordered to remain in port or return to shore. Nearly 4,000 people are stranded after the coast guard closed 55 ports. The volcanology agency has also warned that heavy rain from Man-yi could trigger flows of volcanic sediment, or lahars, from three volcanoes, including Taal, south of Manila.
Man-yi is hitting the Philippines late in the typhoon season, as most cyclones develop between July and October. Earlier this month, four storms were clustered simultaneously in the Pacific basin, a phenomenon not observed in November since records began in 1951, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
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