The Philippines is on high alert as Super Typhoon Man-Yi strengthens while heading toward the country’s main island, Luzon.
As per Reuters, Philippine authorities meanwhile made an urgent appeal for residents in low-lying and coastal areas to move to safer locations.
Ariel Nepomuceno, head of the Office of Civil Defense, said in a statement, "It is more dangerous now for those in landslide-prone areas because the ground has been saturated by the consecutive typhoons and storm surges could reach 3 metres (10 ft).”
The state weather agency PAGASA stated that the sixth tropical cyclone strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph (121mph) and gusts reaching 240 kph.
This led to the highest storm alert, which is being issued for the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur in the central Bicol region.
So far, more than 500,000 people have been evacuated from the six provinces in the region and the authorities are still working to relocate more residents.
The storm is expected to make landfall by late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.
PAGASA further said, "It must be emphasized that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point.”
Meanwhile, heavy rains are also expected to affect the main capital region, Metro Manila, as early as Sunday.