Philippines hit by fourth typhoon in less than a month

This is the fourth in less than a month. Typhoon Toraji made landfall on Monday, November 11 in the northeastern Philippines, according to the National Meteorological Agency. Toraji made landfall on Monday at 8:10 a.m. local time (1:10 a.m. in Paris) near the town of Dilasag, about 220 kilometers northeast of the capital, Manila, the National Meteorological Agency reported, without specifying the status of victims or damage.

“We are experiencing strong winds and heavy rain. “Some trees are down and the electricity has been cut off since yesterday.”said Merwina Pableo, disaster management officer for Dinalungan City, located near Dilasag.

Rescuers reported that 7,000 people had been displaced from coastal areas as well as places susceptible to flooding or landslides in Aurora and Isabela provinces, first hit by Toraji, which then heads towards the mountainous regions of the island of Luzon. .

Schools and administrative buildings closed

Residents of 2,500 villages were ordered to evacuate on Sunday, but the National Disaster Management Agency had not yet specified on Monday how many people had already been sheltered. Schools, ports and administrative buildings have also been closed in areas considered at special risk.

On Monday, the National Meteorological Agency warned of strong winds and heavy rainfall in the north of the country. He also warned of giant waves that could crash onto the shores of the main island of Luzon. “All sailors should remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until the winds and waves subside.”according to the same source.

Trees were reported to have been felled and pylons were blocking main roads on Monday afternoon, said authorities in Aurora and Isabela, who were still reluctant to send officers to inspect the damage due to strong gusts of wind.

Storms are getting closer to the coast

The typhoon is expected to head toward the South China Sea on Monday night, according to meteorological services. Crews were deployed to clear roads after the storm left the province in the early afternoon, said Elson Egargue, head of disaster response in Aurora province.

Toraji, with winds reaching maximum speeds of 130 km/h, is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in less than a month, after Trami, Kong-rey and Yinxing, which left a total of 159 dead. Typhoon Yinxing hit the country’s northern coast on Thursday, killing a 12-year-old girl and damaging buildings. A few weeks earlier, violent Tropical Storm Trami and Super Typhoon Kong-rey killed 158 people, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Around 20 major storms and typhoons hit the archipelago or its surrounding waters each year. Storms in the Asia-Pacific region are forming closer to the coast, intensifying faster and lasting longer on land due to climate change, a new study shows.