Philippines evacuates over 1.2 million as Super Typhoon Man-yi hits southeast Asian country

Over 1.2 million people have been evacuated in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Man-yi, the sixth tropical cyclone in a month, struck the coastal island of Catanduanes in the Bicol region on Saturday evening.

The storm follows a series of devastating weather events, including five earlier typhoons that have caused at least 163 deaths and widespread destruction.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported no immediate casualties but warned of severe flooding and landslides, with soils already saturated from previous storms. Officials stated that 361,079 families from eight regions had been relocated to evacuation centers.

The Philippines faces an average of 20 tropical storms annually and ranks as the most disaster-prone country globally, according to the 2024 World Risk Report. Experts attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of storms to climate change.