Authorities philippines on Saturday ordered the evacuation of more than 250,000 people and the return to port of boats as the “super typhoon” Man-yi, melting over the archipelago from the east. The national meteorological agency, which reclassified Man-yi, warned of gusty winds with serious consequences. “significant to severe” and potentially lethal storm surges.

Near the sparsely populated island of Catanduanes (east), where Man-yi is expected to make landfall between the second half of Saturday and early Sunday, high tides of up to 14 meters are forecast. This “super typhoon”, with winds of up to 215 km/h, will be the sixth major storm to hit the Philippines in a month. Previous storms have killed at least 163 people, left thousands homeless, destroyed crops and killed livestock.

If preventive evacuation is necessary, let’s implement it and not wait until the hour of danger to evacuate or seek help, because (…) we would be endangering not only our lives, but also those of our rescue workers.”

Marlo Iringan, Under Secretary of the Interior

Some 255,000 people have already been evacuated from areas vulnerable to landslides, floods and storm surges, said Interior Undersecretary Marlo Iringan on Saturday. “If preventive evacuation is necessary, let’s implement it and not wait until the hour of danger to evacuate or seek help, because (…) we would be endangering not only our lives, but also those of our rescue workers.”he declared. All vessels, from fishing boats to oil tankers, have been ordered to stay in port or return to quayside.

Scientists say that climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rainfall, flash floods and stronger gusts. Every year, some twenty major storms and typhoons hit the Philippines or its surrounding waters, killing dozens of people, but it’s rare for several such weather events to occur in a short space of time.