Manila: Philippine authorities have begun evacuating more than 150,000 people from coastal areas as Typhoon Kalmagi, accompanied by strong winds reaching speeds of 140 kilometers per hour, approaches.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Philippine National Weather Service announced on Monday that authorities have begun implementing a comprehensive emergency plan, including the evacuation of more than 150,000 people from coastal areas threatened by Typhoon Kalmagi, which is approaching the Visayas archipelago with strong winds and heavy rain.
Deputy Director of the Office of Civil Defense Rafaelito Alejandro stated at a press conference that approximately 156,000 people had been evacuated by 8:00 PM on Monday as a precautionary measure to minimize potential losses. He noted that the storm is expected to make landfall shortly after midnight.
The Head of the Natural Disaster Management Agency, Roel Munisa, explained that evacuations are taking place intensively in the Palu and Tanawan regions, which have a combined population of about 140,000 according to last year’s census. He added that local authorities are working to secure shelters and evacuation centers in anticipation of any potential flooding or landslides.
These two regions are among the hardest hit in the past, having suffered widespread devastation when Typhoon Haiyan struck the country in 2013, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying infrastructure in numerous coastal cities.
On the neighboring island of Samar, Civil Defense official Randy Necart confirmed that authorities began evacuating residents to safer areas on Sunday, particularly in Guiuan City, which has a population of about 50,000 and is expected to be directly hit by the storm upon landfall.
Local Governor Nilo Demery also indicated that between 10,000 and 15,000 people had been moved in the past two days to safe shelters on the nearby Dingat Islands, amid intensive efforts to ensure the provision of basic necessities and medical supplies to the evacuees.
The Philippines is hit by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually, many of which cause significant damage, especially in impoverished areas lacking robust infrastructure.