Authorities in the Philippines issued an urgent evacuation call on Saturday, urging residents of low-lying and coastal areas to move to safer locations as Typhoon “Manny” neared the main island of Luzon.

“Manny” is the sixth tropical storm to strike the Philippines in just one month, with winds reaching 195 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 240 kilometers per hour, according to the state weather agency, PAGASA.

PAGASA has raised the highest level of storm alert in the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur.

A government official reported that more than 500,000 people have already been evacuated across six provinces, with the number expected to rise in the coming hours. The typhoon has also canceled dozens of flights in the Eastern Visayas region.

Notably, the Philippines is hit by approximately 20 tropical storms annually. Recent storms in October have already claimed 162 lives, with 22 people still missing.