New Typhoon Usagi Slams Philippines Triggering Evacuations and Travel Warnings

Friday, November 15, 2024

Typhoon Usagi, the fifth severe storm in just three weeks, roared into the Philippines on Thursday, unleashing 175 km/h (109 mph) winds and intensifying the struggle of disaster-ravaged northern regions. The typhoon made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan province, at 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT), prompting mass evacuations and triggering major travel disruptions for locals and tourists alike. Usagi’s arrival complicates an already battered region, as authorities rush to protect vulnerable communities and the tourism sector faces significant impacts.

Government Response: Emergency Evacuations and Safety Warnings

The Philippines’ national weather agency initially issued its highest storm alert but later downgraded it as Usagi weakened slightly upon landfall. However, evacuation efforts intensified as the storm moved north, bringing strong winds and flood risks to the municipality of Gonzaga and beyond. In Cagayan, local officials led forced evacuations under heavy rainfall, moving 1,404 people to shelters. Officials expect a total of 40,000 people will seek safety in evacuation centers, including municipal gyms and other large shelters—a scene familiar to Cagayan residents who fled Typhoon Yinxing just weeks earlier.

President Ferdinand Marcos visited storm-hit areas to offer emergency cash assistance and personally encouraged people to comply with evacuation orders. “We know it’s difficult to leave homes and possessions,” he told locals on Mindoro island, just south of Manila, “but sheltering could save lives.” Marcos urged stronger infrastructure to withstand intensifying storms, linking these severe weather events to climate change and calling for proactive steps to protect lives and livelihoods.

Travel Disruptions and Warnings for Tourists

As Usagi brings heavy rains, road closures, and ongoing flight cancellations, officials strongly advised against traveling to northern Luzon, which includes popular spots like Cagayan. Some 700,000 people remain displaced across the Philippines due to the unrelenting weather, and tourists have been urged to delay or adjust travel plans in the coming days. In Cagayan, the civil defense office coordinated a “preemptive evacuation” of residents living near rivers and coastal areas; for tourists, this means limited access to some key destinations and amenities. The Cagayan River, the country’s largest, is still swollen from recent heavy rains, heightening flood risks and complicating rescue and travel operations.

UN and International Aid Mobilization

With a total of 159 lives lost due to recent storms, the United Nations called for $32.9 million in humanitarian aid, noting that conditions for evacuees are worsening. An estimated 207,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, forcing families into crowded shelters without basic necessities. Many evacuees face shortages of hygiene supplies, cooking items, and drinking water, underscoring the severity of the crisis. Extensive damage to farmland has affected food supplies, and ongoing flooding prevents farmers from replanting, potentially intensifying food scarcity.

As four tropical storms swirl simultaneously in the South China Sea and North Pacific, meteorologists say this marks a November first for the Asia-Pacific. Usagi’s track follows that of Severe Tropical Storm Trami, which struck last month and contributed to the majority of recent fatalities. In a cycle that’s both overwhelming and exhausting, many communities are barely beginning to recover before the next storm arrives.

Climate Change and Future Implications for the Philippines

Studies reveal that storms across the Asia-Pacific are forming closer to coastlines, intensifying faster, and lingering over land longer—patterns attributed to climate change and which only exacerbate the Philippines’ annual storm season. About 20 major storms hit the archipelago every year, claiming lives and making recovery a constant challenge. This year’s rapid succession of typhoons has pushed resources and emergency systems to their limit, drawing attention to the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure, especially for communities and sectors, like tourism, that drive the local economy.

With another powerful storm, Typhoon Man-yi, expected to hit Manila on Sunday, travel advisories warn of extended disruptions in the days to come. Tourists are advised to stay informed of travel alerts and consider alternative destinations within the Philippines or postpone visits to storm-hit areas until safety improves. Local officials are working to restore roadways, airports, and accommodations essential to the tourism industry, but recovery will take time, especially as severe storms continue to challenge both residents and visitors in this typhoon-prone nation.

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Tags: Philippines, travel alert, travel industry, Travel News, Typhoon Usagi