2,500 Villages Evacuated As 4th Major Storm In A Month Hits Philippines

A new typhoon barreled across an agricultural region in the northeastern Philippines yesterday after thousands were evacuated to safety while still struggling to recover from the devastation caused by three successive storms in the last three weeks.

After making landfall in Aurora yesterday morning with sustained winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph), the typhoon barrelled north-westward across Luzon, weakened as it crossed a mountain range and then blew into the South China Sea, reports.

The Associated Press. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Sunday ordered the forcible evacuation of people in 2,500 villages expected to be lashed by Toraji, locally named Nika, warning that the rain-soaked Luzon mountains, valleys and plains were more susceptible to flash floods and landslides.

With the typhoon approaching fast, there was little time to move large numbers of people to safety, he said.