Tropical Storm Jelawat battered the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines, resulting in a man going missing and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people to shelters due to scattered flooding and power outages. The storm’s impact weakened as it traversed Mindanao after making landfall in the morning; however, the state weather service cautioned about the ongoing risk of floods and landslides.
In Manay municipality, where Jelawat landed, police reported a man missing near the swollen Casaoman River, which crosses the coastal town with a population of approximately 40,000. Two areas of Manay experienced knee-deep floodwaters due to river overflow. In Cortes, another town on Mindanao’s east coast, two houses were damaged, and power outages affected three other towns, as reported by the civil defence office in Manila.
As a precautionary measure, 11,729 residents from Mindanao’s east and north coast were evacuated ahead of the storm’s landfall and were advised to stay in emergency shelters. Jelawat was expected to continue crossing the southern part of the country, with the weather service warning of heavy rain, particularly in the mountainous interior, heightening the risk of flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in susceptible areas.
The coast guard reported widespread disruptions in shipping, with sailing restrictions implemented to avoid accidents in rough seas. Over 100 vessels were stranded or sought shelter at ports, leading to more than 5,000 passengers being stuck at the port of Manila due to the suspension of ferry services to the central and southern Philippines. The Philippines experiences around 20 storms and typhoons annually, causing significant casualties and contributing to poverty in affected regions.
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