The Philippines is once again bracing for a major storm as Super Typhoon Man-yi heads towards the archipelago nation, carrying winds of up to 230 kilometers per hour (about 140 miles per hour).

Man-yi is expected to make landfall on Catanduanes island late Saturday or early Sunday, marking the sixth major storm to hit the Philippines in the past month.

Four storms have erupted simultaneously in the Western Pacific Ocean this month. The Japan Meteorological Agency said this was the first time this had happened since records began in 1951.

rare weather

About 255,000 people fled their homes ahead of Man-yi as the state weather forecaster warned of “significant to severe impacts” from winds and “life-threatening” storm surges.

The volcanological agency also warned that heavy rain could trigger the flow of volcanic sediments, or lahars, from three volcanoes, including Taal, south of the capital Manila.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday told authorities to stockpile food and other supplies in advance and urged residents to take shelter as heavy rain is expected in eastern provinces and Metro Manila over the weekend.

Marcos said at a situation briefing: “We need to do a little more here. We are already in a bad situation due to saturation and damage to infrastructure, homes and other infrastructure.”

Five storms that have ravaged the Philippines in recent weeks have already killed at least 163 people, left thousands homeless, and destroyed crops and livestock.

Such a cluster of storms is a rare event even in a region that usually sees about 20 typhoons a year, and scientists say it is a likely consequence of human-caused climate change that is warming ocean waters to dangerous levels.

tj/lo (Reuters, AFP)