MANILA, Philippines — The devastation caused by Typhoon Man-yi has left a trail of destruction across the northern Philippines, with reports indicating that at least three individuals are currently missing. The storm has demolished homes, left entire towns without electricity, and displaced a significant number of residents, compounding the already dire situation following five previous storms in the region as revealed by local officials on Monday.
Man-yi, which made landfall on Saturday night in the eastern island province of Catanduanes, was one of the most powerful storms to strike the northern Philippines in a matter of weeks, boasting sustained winds reaching 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour. Disaster response teams are investigating whether the fatalities of two individuals in eastern Camarines Norte province were directly linked to the impact of Man-yi. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for a family consisting of a couple and their child, who were swept away by rising river waters in northern Nueva Ecija province.
According to the Office of Civil Defense, the typhoon, along with two earlier storms, affected more than a million people, displacing nearly 700,000 who were forced to seek refuge in emergency shelters or with relatives. Nearly 8,000 homes suffered damage or destruction, and over 100 cities and towns faced power outages as a result of downed electric poles.
In Camarines, the province that sustained the most damage, officials have urgently requested additional assistance, emphasizing that fierce winds and relentless rains have exacerbated the situation by damaging further property and disrupting essential services such as electricity and water supply, as well as cellphone connectivity in numerous areas. Provincial information officer Camille Gianan noted that while welfare officials are distributing food, drinking water, and other forms of aid, the needs of the community will persist in the coming months. Many villagers will ultimately require construction materials to rebuild their homes. Gianan expressed the profound challenges: “They have not recovered from the previous storms when the super typhoon hit. It’s been one calamity after another.”
The unusual series of storms that have struck Luzon in such a short timeframe has resulted in over 160 fatalities, left 9 million people affected, and caused extensive destruction to communities, infrastructure, and agricultural lands. Consequently, the Philippines may face a need to import additional rice, a staple food, to address food security concerns.
As Man-yi approached, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. convened an emergency meeting, urging his Cabinet and local officials to prepare for “the worst-case scenario.” In response to the storm, at least 26 domestic airports and two international airports temporarily shut down, while inter-island ferry and cargo services were halted due to dangerous sea conditions, leading to thousands of passengers being stranded. Most transportation services have since resumed, according to reports from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the coast guard.
In light of the disaster, the United States, along with allies such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, have provided relief assistance including cargo aircraft and aid to support the overwhelmed disaster response team. Previously, the first major storm of the season, Trami, wreaked havoc last month, resulting in numerous fatalities after unleashing an equivalent of one to two months’ worth of rainfall within just 24 hours across several areas.
The Philippines, situated in a region prone to natural calamities, annually endures around 20 typhoons and storms. In addition to storms, the country is frequently affected by earthquakes and is home to over a dozen active volcanoes, solidifying its reputation as one of the most disaster-prone nations worldwide.