Typhoon Yinxing struck the northern Philippines on Thursday, forcing thousands in Cagayan and nearby provinces into emergency shelters as they braced for powerful winds, rain, and potential landslides in areas still recovering from two deadly storms.
The storm, locally named “Marce,” landed in Santa Ana town in Cagayan with sustained winds of up to 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of wind reaching 240 kph, AP reported.
Disaster-response teams were mobilized, and inter-island ferries, cargo services, and domestic flights were suspended to ensure safety. The region is vulnerable to landslides due to saturated soils from recent storms, and remains on high alert.
Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco expressed concern for residents, noting the recent devastation across the northern provinces but commended their resilience. “Our people are tough,” Cayco said, even as Yinxing threatens further hardship for her storm-ravaged province.
The Philippines has seen severe weather impact before, with recent Tropical Storm Trami and Typhoon Kong-rey causing at least 151 deaths, damaging crops and infrastructure worth over USD 241 million.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Batangas, the worst-hit area, earlier in the week, declaring a national day of mourning for the 61 lives lost there and promising rapid assistance to those affected.
The memory of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed over 7,300 people in 2013, underscores the ongoing vulnerability of the Philippines to intensifying storms.
“Storms nowadays are more intense, extensive and powerful,” Marcos said, pointing to the need for greater readiness as communities face relentless and increasingly severe typhoons.