17-11-2024 (MANILA) Super typhoon Man-yi has struck the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, prompting the evacuation of more than one million residents as authorities brace for potential flooding in the Metro Manila region.
The powerful storm, which made landfall in Panganiban, Catanduanes province, on Saturday evening, brought winds reaching 185 kilometres per hour before showing signs of weakening as it moved across the archipelago. By Sunday morning, the typhoon had reached the coastal waters of Camarines Norte province, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
“This marks our sixth tropical cyclone in just one month,” noted Dr Manuel Santos, a climate scientist at the University of the Philippines. “The frequency and intensity of these storms raise serious concerns about climate resilience in our region.”
Despite the storm’s intensity, Civil Defence Chief Ariel Nepomuceno reported no casualties, though significant damage to infrastructure was observed in Catanduanes, including destruction to homes, schools, and commercial buildings.
Local resident Amalia Santisas, who evacuated with her family from a coastal area in Manila, explained: “The threat of river flooding leaves us no choice but to seek shelter. With young children, we cannot take risks.”
PAGASA forecasts gradual weakening of the typhoon as it traverses mainland Luzon, though authorities maintain the highest storm alert for the eastern regions of Polillo and Calaguas islands. Provincial disaster officer Roberto Monterola reported improving conditions in Virac, Catanduanes, where some evacuees have begun returning home as winds subsided and heavy rain reduced to a drizzle.
