Fourth Typhoon in Less Than a Month Hits Philippines

AFP/APP

Manila: The Philippines was struck by Typhoon Toraji, the fourth major typhoon to hit the country in less than a month. 

Thousands of people in vulnerable areas were ordered to evacuate, and ports were shut down as the storm battered the nation’s northeast coast, near Dilasag town, about 220 kilometers northeast of Manila.

While there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, strong winds and heavy rains caused trees to topple and power outages in the region. Civil Defence Chief Merwina Pableo of Dinalungan town reported that assessments could not be made yet due to ongoing hazardous conditions.

As part of precautionary measures, over 2,500 villages were evacuated on Sunday.

More than 1,400 people were moved from coastal and flood-prone areas in Dinalungan and nearby Baler municipality. The typhoon, packing maximum winds of 130 km/h (80 mph), is forecast to move northwest and exit into the South China Sea by late Monday.

Schools and government offices in the affected areas were closed. The national weather agency issued warnings for severe winds, heavy rain, and a “moderate to high risk of storm surges” that could impact coastal areas.

Nearly 700 passengers were stranded at ports as sea travel was deemed too risky. The agency also warned of potential tropical storms in the coming days.