Typhoon Man-yi Ravages Philippines, Uprooting Trees, Power Lines

AFP/APP

Manila: Super Typhoon Man-yi swept across the Philippines on Sunday, causing widespread destruction in its wake. Uprooted trees, toppled power lines, and ripped-off roofing sheets marked the path of the storm as it made landfall on Catanduanes island late Saturday.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour), Man-yi forced over 650,000 residents to flee their homes. The national weather service warned of the storm’s “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening” impact.

Despite the extensive damage, no casualties have been reported so far, attributed to successful evacuation measures. “All towns sustained damage, but we expect those in the north to have more problems,” said Roberto Monterola, disaster operations chief for Catanduanes province.

Photos shared by Panganiban Mayor Cesar Robles revealed extensive devastation, with power lines downed, homes damaged, and debris scattered across roads. Clean-up efforts have begun in the affected areas.

Forecasters predict Man-yi will weaken slightly to a typhoon before striking Luzon, the Philippines’ most populous island and economic hub, on Sunday afternoon. Residents in its path have been urged to remain vigilant as recovery efforts continue in the storm-hit regions.