Thousands of people evacuated in the Philippines as the capital, Fengxin, approaches

The authorities evacuated thousands of people from an island located east of PhilippinesSaturday, with Tropical Storm Fengshen approaching, rescue teams said, and weather forecasters feared coastal flooding.

More than nine thousand residents of Catanduanes Island were moved to safer areas, the Disaster Management Office said.

The Catanduanes provincial government issued directives to local authorities "To activate evacuation plans" Which includes residents of "High risk areas" Especially the coasts, low-lying areas and slopes that may witness landslide incidents, according to what rescue team official Jerry Ruby told Agence France-Presse.

It is expected that an eye will pass The stormSaturday off the coast of the island with a population of 270,000 in the Bicol region, accompanied by winds that could reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

As for the neighboring provinces of Sorsogon and Albay, the authorities called for preventive evacuations.

Every year, about 20 storms or storms hit or approach the Philippines. A tornado. The poorest areas of the country are usually the most vulnerable to the repercussions of natural disasters.

Scientists report that climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and severe around the world.

These The storm in the Philippines After a series of earthquakes that killed at least 87 people in the last three weeks, and typhoons Bualawi and Ragasa, which claimed casualties.