Super Typhoon “Uwan” began battering parts of Bicol as authorities confirmed that nearly one million individuals have been preemptively evacuated across 10 regions on Sunday, Nov. 9, to avoid the cyclone’s destructive winds and torrential rains.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 270,682 families or 916,863 individuals sought safe shelter ahead of Uwan’s impact in Ilocos (Region 1), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A), Mimaropa (Region 4B), Bicol (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7), and Eastern Visayas (Region 8).

A total of 6,775 families or 10,696 individuals have already been affected in Bicol Region and Northern Mindanao (Regon 10) as of 8 a.m.

Of this, 672 families or 2,778 individuals were temporarily staying in 81 evacuation centers. There were also 925 families or 2,915 persons who opted to stay with their friends’ or relatives’ homes.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputy Administrator, Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said Uwan’s powerful winds and heavy downpour were already felt in Catanduanes and other parts of Bicol, prompting the government to raise the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5, the highest alert level, over the area.

Alejandro said the super typhoon was bringing “very strong winds reaching more than 185 kilometers per hour,” with initial impacts already experienced in Catanduanes.

“The Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 5 has been raised. The force of Uwan is already being felt on the island of Catanduanes,” he said in a press briefing. He urged residents to remain indoors or evacuate immediately if advised by authorities.

"As we speak, Region 5 has reported that they are currently experiencing strong winds and moderate to heavy rains, especially in Catanduanes. All provinces, except Sorsogon, as of 9 a.m. earlier, have no electricity, some of which were preemptively shut down. There are also initial reports of loss of signal in Bato, Catanduanes; Pandan, Catanduanes; and the northern part of Catanduanes where communication is already difficult," he added.

As of 11 a.m., areas under Signal No. 5 include the central portion of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Maria Aurora, Dipaculao), Polillo Islands, the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Daet, Talisay, Paracale, Vinzons, Jose Panganiban, Mercedes, Basud), the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Caramoan, Garchitorena, Tinambac, Lagonoy), and Catanduanes.

Alejandro warned of “violent winds and widespread damage” in these areas.

"We hope that these areas can withstand the typhoon or experience only minimal effects. However, we are not discounting any possibilities in the provinces that will be affected. That’s where we expect to see the hardest-hit [areas]. We’ll have to see since the projected landfall is in Aurora or Isabela, so we’ll assess the impact later," he said.

Meanwhile, Signal No. 4 was up over the southern portion of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, Echague, Dinapigue, San Guillermo), Quirino, the eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte, Alfonso Castañeda, Kasibu), The rest of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, the easternmost portion of Pampanga (Candaba), the northern and easterns portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael), the northern and eastern portions of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Calauag, Guinayangan, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Infanta, General Nakar, Real), the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, and the northeastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi, Polangui).

Alejandro said these areas would be experiencing winds between 118 to 184 kilometers per hour.

On the other hand, Signal No. 3 was hoisted over the southern portion of mainland Cagayan (Tuao, Enrile, Solana, Tuguegarao City, Peñablanca, Iguig, Piat, Amulung), the rest of Isabela, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the southern portion of Apayao (Conner), Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, the rest of Pampanga, the rest of Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, the rest of Quezon, Marinduque, the rest of Albay, Sorsogon, Ticao and Burias Islands; as well as Northern Samar.

He warned of “heavy damage to high-risk structures” and urged families in vulnerable areas to move to safer ground.

Signal Number 2 was up in the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and the rest of Masbate; as well as Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, and the northern and central portions of Leyte (Leyte, Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Tunga, Palo, Santa Fe, Pastrana, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Mayorga, Julita, Dagami, Jaro, Villaba, La Paz, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Ormoc City, Dulag, Burauen, Kananga, Albuera, Palompon, Merida, Isabel).

Lastly, Signal Number 1 was up in Batanes, Calamian Islands, and Cuyo Islands; in the rest of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, the northern and central portions of Cebu (Medellin, Daanbantayan, City of Bogo, Tabogon, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Borbon, Sogod, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cordova, Asturias, Cebu City, Balamban, City of Talisay, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Dumanjug, Argao, Sibonga, Barili, Ronda, Moalboal, Badian, Dalaguete, Alcantara, City of Carcar, City of Naga, San Fernando, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan).

It also included Bantayan and Camotes Islands, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (City of Escalante, Toboso, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, City of Talisay, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Murcia, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, City of Himamaylan, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Bago City, Valladolid, Pulupandan), the northern portion of Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Tayasan, Vallehermoso, City of Guihulngan), Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Antique.

Signal Number 1 was also up in Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga, Kitcharao), and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes).

In Misamis Oriental, flooding was reported in several barangays of El Salvador and Opol municipalities while coastal operations across the archipelago have been paralyzed.

Flooding was also reported in Guinobatan, Albay.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 86 ports were affected due to Super Typhoon Uwan, stranding 6,607 passengers, 3,161 rolling cargoes, 83 vessels, and 22 motorbancas. Another 408 vessels and 304 motorbancas have taken shelter due to rough seas.

The OCD said it continues to monitor the storm’s path as Uwan threatens to unleash destructive winds and intense rainfall across Luzon. Alejandro warned of potential widespread flooding, storm surges, and landslides in affected areas.

“Kailangan po maghanda tayo at ‘yung kailangang lumikas ay lumikas na po at sumunod sa mga babala ng ating mga local government units (We need to be prepared, and those who need to evacuate should do so now and follow the warnings issued by our local government units),” Alejandro emphasized.

Meanwhile, the death toll attributed to Typhoon "Tino" has already reached 224 as of Sunday, over 130 of which were in Cebu.

There also remained 109 missing, according to Alejandro.

Due to the persistent threat of Uwan, the OCD has activated search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) teams from the uniformed services composed of 10,713 SRR teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); 13,000 from the Philippine National Police (PNP); 7,000 from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and 18,000 from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Around 3,400 teams were also readied from the local government units (LGUs).

Of this, there were 5,428 SRR teams that were already deployed while 46,696 teams were on standby.

"We are still in the middle of feeling or experiencing the impact of Typhoon Uwan. So again, if there’s still time, for those areas that have not yet carried out their preemptive activities or evacuations, we are once again appealing to our local leaders to implement them now," OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said.

"To our fellow citizens, we should cooperate, stay alert, and continuously coordinate or work with our local leaders for our safety. Let’s listen to updates and follow the instructions or advice of our local officials. Let’s also prepare our families, ourselves, and our belongings; secure them and be ready for the impact of this typhoon," he added.