Sharjah 24 – AFP: Super Typhoon Man-yi made landfall in the Philippines on Saturday, bringing destructive winds and massive waves to the archipelago. The storm, packing winds of up to 195 km/h (121 mph) and gusts reaching 325 km/h, triggered widespread evacuations, with over 650,000 people fleeing their homes ahead of the storm. Man-yi is the sixth major storm to hit the Philippines in just a month.
The typhoon hit the island province of Catanduanes, with waves up to 14 meters (46 feet) high crashing along its coast. The national weather service warned of a "potentially catastrophic and life-threatening" impact on the northeastern Bicol region, where storm surges of up to three meters (10 feet) are expected. Manila and other coastal areas could also be affected by flooding over the next 48 hours.
Authorities warned of severe flooding, landslides, and storm surges in vulnerable regions. Power was cut ahead of the storm, and temporary shelters were set up across the province. In Albay, many families sought refuge in schools and government buildings, though conditions remained cramped and hot.
In Naga City, a curfew was imposed to keep residents indoors, while disaster officials in Northern Samar warned of the storm's devastating effects on the region, which has been repeatedly struck by typhoons in recent years.
The typhoon is expected to move northward across the Philippines, reaching Luzon, the most populous and economically important island, on Sunday. Man-yi’s late-season arrival follows a particularly active typhoon season in the region, with multiple storms clustered in the Pacific basin. The Philippines faces increasing vulnerability to such storms, with climate change intensifying their frequency and severity.
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