THE government has evacuated thousands of residents from coastal areas as it braces for Typhoon Marce (Yinxing), officials announced Thursday. The typhoon, packing sustained winds of 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour, is expected to make landfall in the northern part of the country later Thursday or early Friday, according to the national weather agency, PAGASA.
Typhoon Marce is the third storm to strike the Philippines in under a month. Recent storms, including Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) and Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey), claimed 158 lives, mostly due to Kristine, according to the national disaster agency.
On Wednesday, at least 17,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas in Cagayan province, located in the country’s far north, to escape potential flooding from heavy rains, reported provincial rescue official Rueli Rapsing. “I expect more evacuees as evacuations continue across municipalities,” Rapsing said.
As Typhoon Marce gained strength and accelerated, PAGASA raised Signal No. 4 over Cagayan and the Babuyan Islands. Cagayan, home to approximately 1.3 million people, is forecasted to bear the brunt of the typhoon. “We have depleted the province’s quick response fund and are seeking national assistance for replenishment,” Rapsing added.
In Ilocos Norte, a province near Cagayan, rescue teams are prepared to assist local police, firefighters, and soldiers with emergency response efforts, provincial rescue official Randy Nicolas told AFP. Authorities are monitoring possible landslides, floods, and storm surges along the coastlines of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte, with swollen rivers also a concern.
In the mountainous Apayao province, nearly 500 people have been evacuated as a precaution. “We prioritized preemptive evacuations to aim for zero fatalities,” said Aldrin Agmata, a provincial disaster official.
Schools have been closed in many northern areas, and President Ferdinand Marcos has placed all government agencies on high alert to ensure a swift response. “Remember, every life is important, so we must always be prepared,” Marcos stated Wednesday.