Philippines shuts schools, scraps flights as Typhoon Co-May nears
MANILA (July 24): The Philippines shut down schools and cancelled flights today as typhoon-driven rains pounded the northern island of Luzon, a situation President Ferdinand Marcos called 'the new normal'.
Typhoon Co-May, upgraded from a tropical storm overnight, follows days of monsoon rains that have killed at least 19 people and left another 11 missing across the archipelago since July 18, according to the national disaster agency.
With maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour, the typhoon was expected to make landfall on the west coast in either La Union or Ilocos Sur province by Friday morning, the country's weather service said.
Marcos said today that climate change meant Filipinos needed to be thinking about how to adapt to a 'new normal'.
'This is not an extraordinary situation anymore… This will be our lives no matter what we do,' he told a televised cabinet briefing, adding the country should plan for the long-term in addressing natural disasters.
'This is the way it's going to be as far as we know for… many decades to come, so let's just prepare,' he said.
'We have to understand that the climate has changed, the rain patterns have changed,' he added, pointing to recent devastating flooding in the US state of Texas.
Around 70 domestic and international flights in the Philippines were cancelled today due to the storms, the civil aviation authority said.
The government later announced that classes across Luzon would remain suspended through Friday.
Tens of thousands were evacuated across Manila earlier this week by floodwaters that swamped some neighbourhoods in waist-deep water and left residents of nearby provinces stranded and in need of rescue by boat.
As of today, at least several thousand people in Manila remained unable to return to their homes.
'We cannot send them home yet because it is still raining and some typhoons are still expected to affect the country,' Ria Mei Pangilinan, a rescue coordinator in the capital, told AFP.
'There might be more (evacuees) if the rain does not stop.'
Typhoon Co-May was about 105 kilometres off the country's west coast as of 8pm (1200 GMT). – AFP Philippines Typhoon Co-May
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
6 minutes ago
- The Sun
Greece wildfires under control as firefighters battle remaining fronts
ATHENS: Firefighters in Greece have made progress in containing wildfires that have devastated homes and forced evacuations across the country. Over the past 24 hours, 55 new fires broke out, but 50 were quickly brought under control. Authorities remain on high alert, with five major fire fronts still active in the Peloponnese, Evia, Kythera, and Crete. Fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis warned of continued high fire risk but noted improving conditions. On Kythera, a popular tourist island, half the land has been scorched. Deputy mayor Giorgos Komninos reported extensive damage to homes, beehives, and olive groves. Despite ongoing fires, the situation is stabilising with support from helicopters and aircraft. The Egnatia highway near Kozani was temporarily closed due to flames fanned by strong winds, diverting traffic to an older route. Meanwhile, flare-ups on Evia have disrupted power and water supplies, while fires on Crete are now mostly contained. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis assured affected residents of state support, calling recent firefighting efforts 'titanic.' Greece has endured extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, though forecasts predict relief from Monday. International aid, including Italian aircraft and Czech firefighting units, is assisting local efforts. The country faces increasing wildfire risks due to climate change, following earlier blazes on Chios and Crete. - AFP
The Sun
17 hours ago
- The Sun
Greece receives EU aid to combat devastating wildfires
ATHENS: Greece continues to fight devastating wildfires for a second day, with international assistance from the European Union now aiding local firefighting efforts. Czech firefighters are already on the ground, while Italian aircraft are expected to arrive later on Sunday. The fires remain active in multiple regions, including the Peloponnese area west of Athens, as well as the islands of Evia and Kythera. Firefighting aircraft resumed operations at dawn, targeting the most critical areas. While forecasters predict calmer winds in most regions, Kythera remains under threat due to persistent strong winds. Evacuation alerts were issued early Sunday for residents of Kythera as flames spread uncontrollably. 'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt,' said Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera. 'A monastery is in direct danger right now.' He confirmed that half the island has already been scorched. Firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two aircraft, are battling the Kythera blaze, which began Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach. Greece formally requested EU assistance, with Italian aircraft en route and Czech units already deployed. Eleven regions in Greece remain at very high risk of wildfires. Firefighters are also working in the Peloponnese and Evia, where overnight flare-ups destroyed vast forest areas and killed thousands of farm animals. On Crete, fires that erupted Saturday destroyed four houses and a church before being largely contained. A prolonged heatwave has exacerbated conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas. Relief is expected from Monday as temperatures begin to drop. – AFP
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Rain in northern China kills two, forces thousands to relocate
FILE PHOTO: Rescue personnel evacuate people from their flooded house in Haicang district, Xiamen, China's southeastern province, on July 11, 2025. China's Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted flood warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing and neighbouring Hebei, for floods from small and midsize rivers and mountain torrents. - AFP HONG KONG: Heavy rain around Beijing and across north and north-east China has killed two and forced thousands to relocate as authorities warned of further widespread rain and risks of disasters including landslides and flooding. Two were dead and two missing in Hebei province, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday morning (July 27). Overnight rain dumped a record 145 mm per hour on Fuping in the industrial city of Baoding. China's Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted flood warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing and neighbouring Hebei, for floods from small and midsize rivers and mountain torrents. Floods and landslides affected many villages in the Miyun district of the capital, with the rural town of Fengjiayu the most severely impacted and electricity and communications cut in some villages, CCTV said. More than 3,000 people have been transferred out of the area, Beijing News Radio reported on Sunday. Beijing issued a warning on Saturday for geological disasters, including landslides and mudslides, after intense rainfall unleashed, for a second time, a year's worth of rain on nearby Baoding. Northern China has experienced record precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities, including Beijing, to flood risks. Some scientists link the increased rainfall in China's usually arid north to global warming. The storms are part of the broader pattern of extreme weather across China due to the East Asian monsoon, which has caused disruptions in the world's second-largest economy. Baoding's Xizhuang station recorded 540 mm over an eight-hour period, exceeding Baoding's average annual rainfall of about 500 mm. The deluge affected more than 46,000 people, forcing 4,655 to evacuate, CCTV reported. Chinese authorities closely monitor extreme rainfall and severe flooding are, as they challenge the country's ageing flood defences, threaten to displace millions and wreak havoc on China's US$2.8 trillion agricultural sector. - Reuters
