Philippine authorities have ordered the evacuation of more than 250,000 people and the return of boats to port as "super typhoon" Man-Yi approaches from the east.
The National Weather Service, which reclassified Man-Yi, warned of "significant to strong" wind gusts and potentially deadly storm surges, AFP reported.
Waves as high as 14 meters are forecast near the sparsely populated island of Catanduanes, where Man-Yi is expected to make landfall between late Saturday and early Sunday.
This "super typhoon" with winds of up to 215 km/h will be the sixth major storm to hit the Philippines in a month. Previous storms have killed at least 163 people, left thousands homeless, and destroyed crops and livestock.
About 255,000 people have already been evacuated from areas vulnerable to landslides, flooding and storm surges, Deputy Interior Minister Marlo Iringan said.
"If a pre-emptive evacuation is necessary, let's carry it out and not wait until the hour of danger to evacuate or seek help, because we would be endangering not only our lives, but also those of our rescuers," he said.
All vessels - from fishing boats to oil tankers - were ordered to remain in port or return to the pier.
Scientists say climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rainfall, flash floods and stronger wind gusts.
Every year, about twenty major storms and typhoons hit the Philippines or its surrounding waters, killing dozens of people, but it is rare for several such weather events to occur in a short period of time. | BGNES
