Bicol residents evacuate as Typhoon Pepito approaches with supertyphoon strength
Residents in the Bicol region are preparing for Typhoon Pepito, expected to strengthen into a supertyphoon before landfall this weekend. Evacuations are underway, with about 150,000 people from vulnerable coastal areas being moved to safety. Power restoration efforts continue in Albay after Severe Tropical Storm Kristine caused widespread outages. As of Thursday, only three of 25 villages had electricity restored. The government has issued storm surge warnings for 149 local government units, affecting nearly two million people. Pepito is forecasted to bring heavy rains and strong winds, with warnings of storm surges up to three meters in several coastal areas. The government is mobilizing resources for search and rescue operations and has assured adequate food supplies despite recent crop damage.