Mass Evacuations Ordered As Typhoon Usagi Approaches

The fifth major storm in just three weeks struck the northeastern Philippines on Thursday, triggering extensive evacuations and prompting the United Nations to request emergency funding to support the government’s relief efforts. Rural communities, already severely impacted, are facing escalating challenges while they contend with the relentless series of storms.

Typhoon Usagi, locally named Ofel, struck the coastal town of Baggao in Cagayan province at the northern tip of Luzon, bringing sustained winds of up to 109 mph and gusts reaching 149 mph. Luzon, the Philippines’ most densely populated agricultural region, faced intense wind and rain while the typhoon moved northwestward. Usagi is expected to continue its path overnight, heading toward southern Taiwan.

How Is the International Community Helping Disaster Survivors?

The U.N. Humanitarian Country Team in the Philippines announced a fundraising effort of $32.9 million to support the government’s relief operations for approximately 210,000 individuals in urgent need of assistance and protection.

“The Philippines is facing an exceptionally challenging tropical cyclone season, with successive cyclones reaching unprecedented locations and scales,” the U.N. team said in its emergency plan. “Local authorities, who are often impacted themselves, are overwhelmed as they simultaneously respond to the crisis and coordinate rescue efforts for affected families.”

Are More Storms or Typhoons Likely to Hit?

Forecasters are tracking another developing storm in the Pacific, which may affect the northern Philippines this weekend. The country’s weather agency has issued warnings of life-threatening tidal surges of 10 feet in coastal areas of Cagayan and surrounding provinces, urging all vessels to stay in port or seek immediate shelter.

The Philippine government is grappling with the aftermath of four recent major storms, which have claimed at least 160 lives, displaced millions, and inflicted severe damage on farmland and infrastructure, particularly in northern Luzon. The repeated storms have intensified recovery challenges, straining resources and prolonging hardship for affected communities.

Typhoon Toraji exited the northern Philippines just two days ago, leaving behind severe flooding, downed power lines, and prompting over 82,500 residents to evacuate their homes. The storm’s affect adds strain to recovery efforts while the region braces for yet another potential storm this weekend.

Does the Philippine Government Have the Resources to Cope With Disasters?

The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has allocated over $17 million in food and other essential aid for hundreds of thousands of storm-affected individuals, according to Welfare Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, responsible for coordinating the disaster response, has requested support from neighboring countries—including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei—for additional aircraft to deliver food, water, and other aid to villages cut off by the storms. The United States, a long-standing ally of the Philippines, has also deployed cargo planes carrying essential supplies to aid in relief efforts.

The Philippines faces approximately 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually, along with frequent earthquakes and over a dozen active volcanoes, placing it among the world’s most disaster-prone nations. This constant exposure to natural hazards makes disaster preparedness and response critical challenges for the country.

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones on record, devastated the central Philippines, leaving over 7,300 people dead or missing. The storm leveled entire villages, caused extensive flooding, and grounded ships, marking one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the country’s history.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press