Typhoon Toraji, the 14th weather disturbance to hit the Philippines this year, brought heavy floods, downed trees, and widespread power outages to the northern part of the country before weakening into a tropical storm and moving out into the South China Sea, The Associated Press reports.
The storm follows a series of recent typhoons and storms that have devastated Luzon, the country’s largest island, causing widespread damage to farms and communities. The Philippines is now bracing for another approaching storm, forecast to strengthen into a typhoon and hit the country on Thursday.
Toraji, locally known as Nika, slammed into the northeastern province of Aurora on Monday, bringing fierce winds and torrential rain. The storm dumped one to two months’ worth of rainfall in just 24 hours in some areas, causing widespread flooding.
In northern Cagayan province, officials reported that 25 villages across six towns were submerged in floodwaters. At least 22 bridges were rendered impassable, and 13 towns and the provincial capital of Tuguegarao city experienced power outages.
Before the typhoon’s arrival, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla ordered the evacuation of residents in 2,500 northern villages anticipating heavy rains and warned of an increased risk of flash floods and landslides due to saturated terrain.
The country’s disaster response teams, including the military, police, and coast guard, are struggling to deal with the aftermath of successive typhoons and storms. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reassured the public that help is being delivered to communities affected by Toraji.
Although there have been no immediate reports of deaths from Toraji, the storm has exacerbated a critical situation in the Philippines. Previous typhoons and a tropical storm before Toraji resulted in over 160 fatalities, damaged thousands of homes and farmlands, and displaced millions of people.
The Philippines has received assistance from the United States, its longtime ally, and other Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, to deliver food, water, and other aid to affected areas.
The Philippines is known for its vulnerability to natural disasters, experiencing an average of 20 typhoons and storms annually. The country is also susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it one of the most disaster-prone nations globally. The devastating Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones, left over 7,300 people dead or missing and caused widespread devastation in the central Philippines.
