A super typhoon heading towards the Philippines’ largest island on Sunday has forced over half a million people to seek shelter as the country faces a string of devastating storms.
Super Typhoon Man-yi, also known as Pepito, initially made landfall in the island province of Catanduanes last night with violent winds. It next moved towards the main island of Luzon’s coast. The said storm is expected to make a second landfall this afternoon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Pepito is reportedly the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in the last 10 days. The projected path of the typhoon is farther south than the previous storms. it is likely to affect a much larger population.
Potentially catastrophic destruction is ongoing on the island right now.
PAGASA said that Man-yi is expected to gradually weaken as it heads towards Luzon. However, it may still potentially threaten life and impact the livelihood.
According to reports, Man-yi has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph approximately) near the center, with gusts reaching up to 230 kph (143 mph). Prior to Man-yi’s arrival, over 500,000 people were evacuated in Luzon’s Bicol region, as per Reuters reports.
