The Philippines has ordered the evacuation of more than 250,000 people as it prepares to face Super Typhoon Man-yi, which is forecast to cause severe damage in the country’s eastern regions, BFMTV reported on Saturday.
With wind speeds of up to 215 km/h, Man-yi is forecast to make landfall near the sparsely populated island of Catanduanes late Saturday or early Sunday. Authorities warn that the typhoon could generate storm surges of up to 14 meters, increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides.
The National Meteorological Agency stated that the storm’s potential for deadly storm surges and destructive winds.
This is the sixth significant weather disruption to hit the Philippines this month, with a series of typhoons claiming at least 163 lives, displacing thousands, and causing extensive damage to agriculture.
Philippine Interior Undersecretary Marlo Iringan urged timely preventive evacuations to avoid endangering both civilians and rescuers. “We should act now, not wait until the danger is upon us,” he stated.
The increasing frequency and intensity of storms in the region are attributed to climate change, which scientists warn is driving more extreme weather patterns, including heavier rainfall, more frequent flooding, and stronger winds.
While the Philippines typically faces about 20 significant storms annually, the clustering of such storms in a short period is unusual, highlighting the growing challenges posed by global climate shifts.
The memory of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed over 7,300 people in 2013, remains a stark reminder of the country’s vulnerability to intensifying storms.