Super Typhoon Man-Yi, locally known as Pepito, has made landfall in the Philippines, becoming the latest and most powerful storm to hit the region in a relentless series of typhoons. Striking at 21:40 local time (13:40 GMT) on a vulnerable stretch of the eastern Catanduanes island, it brought maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (121 mph) in its wake. Authorities have issued warnings of a potentially life-threatening storm surge, heavy rainfall, and powerful winds, indicating that the storm could cause significant damage.
With evacuation orders in place, over 400,000 people have left their homes to seek shelter, particularly in landslide-prone areas already saturated by previous storms. The civil defense chief, Ariel Nepomuceno, underscored the heightened risks associated with the storm's path, urging residents in the affected areas to comply with safety measures. "It is more dangerous now for those in landslide-prone areas because the ground has been saturated by the consecutive typhoons," he warned.
Residents like Glenda Llamas, who evacuated to a shelter in Albay province, expressed their fear, reflecting on past calamities that had left lasting impacts on their communities. “If we didn't evacuate we wouldn't be able to get out later,” she told AFP, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Meteorologists predict that Man-Yi could bring extreme weather across a broad region, with northern areas expected to receive over 300 mm (11 inches) of rain, significantly raising the risk of flooding and mudslides. Coastal waves may reach as high as 15 meters (49 feet), particularly threatening eastern shorelines.
Flight cancellations have ensued due to the impending storm, with local authorities on standby as the weather pattern progresses. The capital city, Manila, may avoid the worst impacts but is not completely out of harm's way, as the storm heads north and then crosses the major island of Luzon before eventually moving offshore by Monday.
Remarkably, despite the Philippines frequently experiencing typhoons, the surge of six storms within one month is notable, given that such weather events are typically more spaced out. The United Nations' climate change body has indicated that while the overall number of tropical cyclones may not increase, their intensity and rainfall rates are likely to escalate, raising concerns for vulnerable nations like the Philippines in the wake of a changing climate.
