Philippines hit by unprecedented five typhoons in a month, more storms approaching

A man sits on a damaged car after a landslide in the Philippines on Oct. 26, 2024. AP-Yonhap

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - The Philippines faces an unprecedented series of typhoons, with four storms currently active in the Western Pacific region, as Typhoon Usagi approaches landfall in Cagayan province on Thursday, following typhoons Jami, Kongrey, Inching, and Doraji since late October, according to news reports.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said this marks the first time since record-keeping began in 1951 that four typhoons have simultaneously operated in the region during November. The recent storms have claimed 158 lives and displaced 630,000 people, with Typhoon Doraji raising the Cagayan River's water level by 4 meters and leaving 29 areas without power.

"Response capacities are being exhausted and budgets depleted as communities are hit by successive typhoons just as they are beginning to recover from previous shocks," said Gustavo Gonzalez, U.N. OCHA coordinator in the Philippines. The agency estimates 210,000 people require critical life-saving support over the next three months.

The World Meteorological Organization reports global surface temperatures from January to September this year exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.54 degrees Celsius, contributing to unusually high sea temperatures that intensify typhoon formation and strength.

AJP