The Philippines has undertaken massive evacuation efforts as Typhoon Yinxing approaches, threatening to deliver powerful winds and torrential rains to the northern part of the archipelago. Officials began evacuating tens of thousands of residents from coastal areas on Wednesday, with the state weather agency predicting Yinxing could make landfall late Thursday or early Friday. The storm’s arrival comes on the heels of two catastrophic weather events in recent weeks, leaving the country in a state of heightened alert.
Packing sustained wind speeds of 175 kilometers per hour (km/h) with stronger gusts, Typhoon Yinxing poses a significant threat to northern Luzon, the country’s largest and most populated island. In the lead-up to Yinxing’s expected impact, the government has moved over 17,000 residents from low-lying coastal communities to temporary shelters, with evacuation efforts ongoing, according to provincial rescue officials.
“We’re expecting more evacuees as the typhoon nears,” said Rueli Rapsing, a provincial rescue official in Cagayan. “The rains have already started, and people are understandably concerned about flooding and other hazards.” Cagayan, a province of 1.3 million people, lies directly in the storm’s projected path, where strong winds and storm surges could result in severe damage.
Typhoon Yinxing marks the third storm to threaten the Philippines within a month, intensifying the pressure on national and local disaster response systems. The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has confirmed that resources are already strained following recent calamities. The country was hit by Severe Tropical Storm Trami and Super Typhoon Kong-rey within the past few weeks, resulting in a tragic death toll of 158, most of whom were victims of landslides, flash floods, and storm surges triggered by Trami. These back-to-back events have depleted the quick response funds (QRF) that disaster-prone areas rely on for rapid mobilization and aid distribution.
“We have already depleted the quick response fund of the province and are now appealing to the national disaster council for additional funding,” Rapsing explained. “This way, we can keep assisting those affected.”
In neighboring Ilocos Norte province, rescue units have also been placed on high alert. Provincial rescue official Randy Nicolas reported that emergency teams are prepared to respond to incidents of flooding, landslides, and potential river overflow as conditions worsen. “We’re closely monitoring the situation in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan, especially along the coastline where storm surges can pose additional hazards,” Nicolas noted.
The government has activated its comprehensive disaster-response protocols, with President Ferdinand Marcos placing all relevant agencies on high alert. In a public statement, Marcos emphasized the importance of preparing thoroughly to prevent fatalities. “Remember, every life is important, so we should always be prepared,” he said, underscoring the importance of preemptive evacuations, particularly in disaster-prone northern regions.
To minimize risks to lives and property, school closures have been ordered in many areas expected to be impacted by the typhoon. The Department of Education (DepEd) issued the suspension notice on Wednesday, noting that distance learning is not feasible in many affected regions due to the probability of power outages and connectivity issues as the storm progresses.
Local government units (LGUs) in provinces such as Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao have also initiated preemptive evacuations, temporarily relocating residents to designated evacuation centers. In mountainous Apayao, nearly 500 people have been evacuated as a precautionary measure, according to Aldrin Agmata, a provincial disaster official. “We prioritized preemptive evacuations with the goal of achieving zero fatalities,” Agmata explained.
