Tens of Thousands Evacuated as Powerful Typhoon 'Kammuri' Nears Eastern Philippines

Philippine officials ordered tens of thousands of people to evacuate and banned fishing boats from going to sea as Typhoon Kalmegi approaches the country's east-central coast. The storm packs winds of 120 kilometers per hour and threatens areas still recovering from a deadly earthquake just weeks ago.

Authorities tracked Kalmegi about 235 kilometers east of Guiuan town in Eastern Samar province on Monday morning. The typhoon carries sustained winds of 120 km/h with gusts reaching 150 km/h. Weather officials expect it to make landfall later Monday.

The storm is moving westward and will likely hit the central island provinces Monday night and Tuesday. This includes Cebu, which is still dealing with damage from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30. That quake killed at least 79 people and displaced thousands after homes collapsed or suffered severe damage.

Officials issued evacuation orders for more than 70,000 residents in the coastal towns of Guiuan, Mercedes, and Salcedo. Authorities also warned about monsoon rains and ocean waves that could reach three meters high.

The Philippines faces about 20 typhoons each year during the storm season, but this one comes at a particularly difficult time. Many communities in Cebu are still living in temporary shelters or damaged homes from last month's earthquake. Emergency response resources are already stretched thin from the ongoing earthquake recovery efforts.

Fishing communities along the eastern coast face a double hit - they can't work during the storm, and many lost boats and equipment in the recent earthquake. The timing puts extra pressure on local governments managing both natural disasters simultaneously.