Now a weakened tropical storm, Toraji exploded at sea overnight after causing relatively limited damage and no reported deaths.

But Tropical Storm Usagi is now just two days off the coast of Luzon, the archipelago’s largest and most populous island, and gaining strength, the national weather agency said.

The government said it had evacuated more than 32,000 people from vulnerable areas in the northern Philippines before Toraji arrived on Monday, weeks after severe tropical storm Trami, Typhoon Yinxing and super typhoon Kong-rey killed a total of 159 people.

Most of that tally occurred during Trami, which unleashed torrential rains that triggered deadly flash floods and landslides.

The government has not reported significant flooding caused by Toraji and has so far not called for evacuations ahead of Usagi’s arrival.

“Areas of northern Luzon are exposed to heavy rains, strong winds and possibly flooding from storm surges (Usagi), which could have far-reaching consequences,” the weather service said in a statement. new bulletin, using a term for giant coastal waves.

Usagi strengthened to 85 kilometers per hour and could start affecting the region late in the day and reach typhoon category by Wednesday, a day before landfall, he added.

Coastal waters will be rough and “navigators of small craft are advised… not to venture out to sea in these conditions.”

Although the government reported no casualties in Toraji, it said about 15,000 people were still sheltering in mainly government-run evacuation centers.

On Tuesday, utility workers repaired damaged bridges, restored power and cleared roads blocked by landslides, fallen trees and power pylons, the civil defense office said.

The extent of the damage to private homes was not immediately known, but 29 towns were still without power even as ports reopened and young people in nearly 600 towns began returning to class.

“A small number of people were preemptively evacuated but have since returned home. College classes have resumed,” civil defense official Randy Nicolas of the province of Peru told AFP. Ilocos Norte, on the South China Sea coast of Luzon.

After Usagi, weather services said Tropical Storm Man-yi, currently near the Northern Mariana Islands, could also threaten the Philippines next week.

About 20 major storms and typhoons hit the archipelago or its surrounding waters each year, killing dozens of people and keeping millions in persistent poverty.

A recent study showed that storms in the Asia-Pacific region are forming closer to shore, intensifying faster and lasting longer over land due to climate change.