Manila, Jul 19: Wipha intensified into a severe tropical storm as it blew away from the Philippines on Saturday, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to many areas, including Metro Manila.

On Saturday morning, the Philippine state weather bureau, PAGASA, said in its weather bulletin that Wipha exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 10 am local time.

It said that Wipha will continue moving west-northwestward towards southern China. The severe tropical storm is forecast to continue intensifying and may reach the typhoon category on Sunday afternoon or evening.

"The wind signals warn the public of the general wind threat over an area due to the tropical cyclone. Local winds may be slightly stronger or enhanced in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds," the bulletin read.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Saturday morning that a total of 96,791 individuals around the country were affected by Wipha, which caused flooding and rain-induced landslides in many areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

Two people were reported missing, the Philippine agency said.

Last year in November, hundreds of thousands of people in coastal villages and flood-prone areas were evacuated to safety in the Philippines as the archipelago country braced itself for super typhoon Man-yi.

Man-yi, swirling with maximum winds of 195 km per hour and gusts of up to 240 km per hour, made landfall in Catanduanes in the Bicol region of Luzon in the Philippines.

Man-yi has hit areas that have already been hit hard by the five overlapping typhoons since late October. More than 160 people were killed by flooding and landslides triggered by the harsh weather, government figures showed.

The intense downpour displaced millions of people and destroyed crops and infrastructure. Many provinces declared a state of calamity due to the widespread devastation.

Man-yi, locally named Pepito, was the 16th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines since January 2024.

An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines each year, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and deadly landslides

(IANS)

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