In brief
Typhoon Usagi, a powerful storm with winds reaching 150 mph, is set to hit northern Luzon, bringing fears of flooding and landslides. Having already faced four significant storms in recent weeks, the Philippines anticipates more challenges to its disaster relief resources, prompting a UN humanitarian funding response.
Typhoon Usagi was advancing towards the Philippines on Thursday, exhibiting strength akin to a Category 4 hurricane. Authorities warned of potential widespread flooding and landslides as the storm approached. Known as Ofel in the Philippines, Usagi marks the fifth major storm to impact the nation in a mere three weeks. The previous storms—Toraji, Trami, Yinxing, and Kong-rey—claimed over a hundred lives and inflicted severe destruction. As multiple tropical storms swirled within the South China Sea and North Pacific, this phenomenon marked a historic occurrence for November, as it was the first time four storms were monitored simultaneously in the region. Usagi was predicted to make landfall on the northern part of Luzon, the Philippines' most populated island, on Thursday afternoon.Current observations from the U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour. The nation's weather agency, PAGASA, indicated a likelihood that the storm could further intensify. Forecasts for northeastern Luzon suggested over eight inches of rain, with potential storm surges reaching up to three meters (almost 10 feet) in various localities.Post-landfall, Usagi is anticipated to shift towards Taiwan, prompting the Central Weather Administration there to issue an immediate sea typhoon warning. The recent spate of typhoons has strained the Philippines' disaster relief capabilities significantly. In response to the unfolding crisis, the United Nations announced it had allocated $3.5 million in humanitarian aid to support U.N. operations in the country.Gustavo Gonzalez, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in the Philippines, stated, “Typhoons are overlapping,” emphasizing the cycles of destruction and reconstruction faced by local communities. “As soon as communities attempt to recover from the shock, the next tropical storm is already hitting them again.”
