Residents of thousands of villages were ordered to evacuate and ports were closed as another typhoon - the fourth in less than a month - hit the weather-ravaged Philippines. This was reported by UCA News. According to the national meteorological agency, there have been no reports of casualties or damage yet. The typhoon, dubbed “Toraji” hit the country's northeastern coast near the city of Dilasag, about 220 kilometers northeast of the capital Manila.

“We have been hit by strong winds and heavy rains. Some trees are falling and the electricity has been out since yesterday,” said Mervina Pableo, civil defense chief of Dinalungan town near Dilasag. “We are not yet able to go out and do damage assessment.” At least 1,400 people were evacuated from coastal areas as well as flood- and landslide-prone areas in Dinalungan and the nearby municipality of Baler, according to Donald Allan Tay, spokesman of the disaster management headquarters.

In all, the Philippine government ordered the evacuation of 2,500 villages on Sunday, although the national emergency management office had no figures on the total number of evacuees. The weather service said Toraji, which has maximum wind speeds of 130 kilometers per hour, was moving rapidly to the northwest and was forecast to head into the South China Sea on the evening of Nov. 11, passing through the mountainous terrain of the main Philippine island of Luzon.

Schools and government offices have been closed in areas expected to be hardest hit by the latest typhoon. The National Meteorological Agency warned of strong winds and heavy rain in the north of the country, as well as a “moderate to high risk of storm surge” - giant waves threatening the coast of the main island of Luzon. The coast guard said about 700 passengers were stranded in ports, and the weather service warned that “sea travel is dangerous for vessels of all types and tonnage.”

“All mariners should remain in port or, if the vessel is en route, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until the wind and waves subside,” the statement said. According to forecaster Veronica Torres, a tropical depression could hit the region after Toraja as early as the night of Nov. 14. She added that Tropical Storm Man-Yi, which is currently east of Guam, could also threaten the Philippines next week.

“Toraji” followed three cyclones that hit in less than a month and killed 159 people.