MANILA, Philippines — Residents in northern provinces of the Philippines found themselves evacuating on Wednesday as a formidable typhoon drew closer to the region, which is still recovering from a recent storm that has claimed at least 182 lives, with many more unaccounted for, leaving emergency shelters overflowing with displaced individuals.
Typhoon Kong-rey was observed approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) east of Cagayan province, producing sustained winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 kph (143 mph). Meteorologists warned that the storm could gain strength while over water.
The typhoon is moving northwest and is expected to pass near Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines, before making landfall in southeastern Taiwan on Thursday.
“We are still recovering from the impact of the previous typhoons and storms, and now we face another threat,” remarked Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco, expressing deep concern over the situation.
Cayco added, “We are actively supervising the mandatory evacuation of individuals, particularly those whose homes were severely impacted by the last storm.”
In other northern regions of the Philippines, officials reported that over 300,000 individuals who were displaced by Tropical Storm Trami last week continue to seek refuge in emergency shelters as Typhoon Kong-rey approaches.
Forecasters have also indicated the potential for a “life-threatening storm surge” that could reach between 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 9.8 feet), particularly affecting the coastal areas of Batanes and the surrounding Babuyan islands.
All maritime vessels have been advised to remain docked, and any ships currently at sea should seek sheltered waters until the winds and waves diminish.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who oversees the nation’s disaster response operations, ordered the evacuation of populations residing in high-risk areas threatened by Typhoon Kong-rey, which is known locally as Leon.
“Our aim is always to achieve zero casualties during disasters, so we strongly encourage everyone to comply with our safety protocols,” Teodoro emphasized.
While Kong-rey is expected to move away from the northern Philippines, its extensive rain bands, spanning more than 600 kilometers (373 miles), threaten to inundate the entire main northern region of Luzon, the country’s most populous area.
Tropical Storm Trami, which exited the northern Philippines the previous Friday, left a devastating legacy, with at least 145 fatalities and 37 individuals still missing, primarily due to widespread flooding and landslides. The storm impacted over 7 million people across nearly 11,000 rural communities, as reported by the region’s disaster-response agency.
The storm caused significant damage, with more than 111,000 homes affected, many of which were submerged due to flooding and swollen rivers. In certain areas, Trami dumped as much rain as would typically fall over two months, triggering flash floods that swept away vehicles and trapped people on rooftops.
During the height of Trami’s fury, officials from the severely hit Bicol region, southeast of Manila, made urgent requests for additional rescue boats to assist thousands of villagers stranded in rising waters.
The Philippines, which is prone to natural disasters, typically endures around 20 storms and typhoons annually. Noteworthy was Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, one of the strongest recorded storms worldwide, which resulted in over 7,300 deaths or disappearances, decimated whole communities, and caused devastating damage, including grounding cargo ships and wrecking houses in the central regions of the Philippines.