At least eight killed as super typhoon struck Philippines

At least eight people were killed as super typhoon Man-Yi struck the Philippine archipelago over the weekend, bringing fierce winds and heavy rains that caused landslides and storm surges, according to authorities. 

Man-Yi, the sixth storm to hit the country within a month, made landfall in the eastern province of Catanduanes on Saturday. It weakened as it crossed the main island of Luzon, later being downgraded to a typhoon as it exited the landmass on Monday. A family of seven, including an eight-year-old girl, was killed when a landslide in a northern town in Nueva Vizcaya buried their home, the local disaster office reported. 

Meanwhile, in Daet town in Camarines Norte province, a 72-year-old man died in a vehicular accident caused by cables brought down by strong winds, as confirmed by the provincial disaster office. "One casualty is one casualty too many. That is unfortunate," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told reporters, referring to the incident in Camarines Norte. He added, "We will now focus on rescuing those in isolated areas and continue relief efforts for those displaced."

On average, around 20 tropical storms hit the Philippines annually, causing heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, and landslides. Man-Yi is now moving toward Vietnam with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h (68.35 mph) and gusts up to 135 km/h.

In Nueva Ecija province, a key rice-producing area in northern Luzon, farmlands and villages were inundated, raising concerns among farmers like Danilo Dagdagan about the impact on crops and livelihoods. "Floodwaters from the typhoon and nearby provinces gushed here because the elevation is lower," Dagdagan shared with Reuters from his flooded home. "It makes life difficult, especially for those struggling with limited food supplies."

International assistance has been extended to support relief efforts in the Philippines, including from the U.S. During his visit, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that U.S. forces would provide direct support to the response efforts. "We've also secured an additional million dollars in urgent humanitarian aid to help the Philippine people," Austin stated. 

In October, Tropical Storm Trami and Typhoon Kong-rey caused floods and landslides that left 162 dead, with 22 people still reported missing, according to government data.