MANILA, Philippines — A powerful typhoon devastated houses, unleashed towering tidal surges, and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate to emergency shelters as it swept across the northern Philippines on Sunday. This marks the sixth major storm to strike the country in under a month.
Typhoon Man-yi struck the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night, packing sustained winds of up to 125 miles per hour and gusts reaching 149 mph. The country’s weather agency issued warnings of a “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation” for provinces along its path.
Officials reported no immediate casualties from the typhoon, which was expected to move northwestward on Sunday through northern Luzon, the archipelago’s most populous region. While the capital region of metropolitan Manila was likely to avoid a direct hit, authorities placed it and surrounding areas under storm alerts, cautioning against dangerous coastal storm surges.
“The wind was very strong, with an eerie howling sound, though the rain was minimal,” Roberto Monterola, a disaster-mitigation officer in Catanduanes, told The Associated Press by phone. “Tidal surges along a main boulevard here rose to more than 23 feet near seaside houses. It looked really scary.”
The typhoon cut power across the entire province of Catanduanes, toppling trees and electricity posts. Disaster-response teams assessed the damage, noting additional destruction to houses already battered by previous storms.
“We urgently need tin roofs, construction materials, and food supplies,” said disaster officer Roberto Monterola. “Villagers here haven’t recovered from the last storm and now face devastation again from this typhoon.” Nearly half of the island province’s 80,000 residents sought refuge in evacuation centers.
As the typhoon approached, Catanduanes officials issued evacuation orders and warned vulnerable residents they could face arrest if they refused to relocate to safer areas. Over 750,000 people, affected by Typhoon Man-yi and two earlier storms, sheltered in emergency facilities such as churches and a shopping mall, reported Assistant Secretary Cesar Idio of the Office of Civil Defense and provincial authorities.
The series of storms and typhoons that pummeled Luzon over three weeks killed more than 160 people, affected 9 million residents, and caused extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and farmland. This widespread destruction prompted officials to warn that the Philippines might need to import more rice to meet the population’s staple food needs. In an emergency meeting, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged his Cabinet and local officials to prepare for “the worst-case scenario.”
The typhoon also disrupted travel, forcing the closure of at least 26 domestic airports and two international airports. Rough seas halted inter-island ferry and cargo services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the coast guard.
To assist in disaster relief, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei sent cargo aircraft and supplies to bolster Manila’s overwhelmed response efforts. Last month, Typhoon Trami wreaked havoc, causing catastrophic flooding by delivering one to two months’ worth of rain in just 24 hours, leaving scores dead.
The Philippines faces about 20 typhoons and storms each year. Earthquakes and active volcanoes add to its vulnerability, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
Despite the devastation, relief teams worked tirelessly to distribute food, rebuild infrastructure, and provide temporary shelters. Volunteers joined local officials to clear debris and assist families in rebuilding their lives.
Communities in Catanduanes, already reeling from previous disasters, displayed remarkable resilience. Villagers salvaged materials to reconstruct their homes while bracing for more challenges as the typhoon season continued.
Officials urged vigilance and disaster preparedness, emphasizing the need for collective action to mitigate the impact of future storms in the disaster-prone archipelago.
