MANILA: Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as Super Typhoon Man-yi, locally known as Pepito, approaches the Philippines, marking the fifth tropical storm to impact the nation in recent weeks. Over 124,000 individuals, comprising 43,623 families, have adhered to government evacuation orders. The typhoon is expected to make landfall in Catanduanes by Saturday night or Sunday morning, with wind gusts predicted to reach up to 149 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour).
According to Anadolu Agency, the storm is on course to strike the island province of Catanduanes at near-peak intensity, potentially as a super typhoon. Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has urged residents in storm surge and landslide-prone areas to evacuate, highlighting the increased danger due to saturated ground from consecutive typhoons.
In Manila, preemptive evacuations have been ordered for residents in seven high-risk coastal areas. State weather officials have warned that 7.6 million peo
ple are at risk from storm surges of 1-3 meters (3 to 10 feet). Local officials have also warned of life-threatening conditions due to rising seawater and high waves in coastal regions.
By Saturday afternoon, a tropical cyclone warning signal number 5 was issued for Catanduanes as Man-yi intensified. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla announced that ‘forced’ evacuations would commence in coastal areas of Eastern Visayas, Bicol, Calabarzon, and Cagayan Valley starting Friday night. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed agencies to move people to higher ground, anticipating that nearly 2 million people could be affected by the storm.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has estimated that more than 1.9 million people could be at risk. In response, the Philippine Coast Guard has suspended all shipping operations between Allen and Matnog, along with other areas in Northern Samar province. Additionally, President Marcos noted that the Philippines might need to import up to 4
.5 million tons of rice due to the agricultural impact from recent typhoons.