MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines on Sunday in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month.
Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night with sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph). The country’s weather agency warned of a “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation” in provinces along its path.
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In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, a resident recovers belongings from their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, residents try to fix their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, residents try to fix their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, toppled trees caused by Typhoon Man-yi block a road in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged structure caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, a resident stands beside a damaged house caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
There were no immediate reports of casualties from the typhoon, which was forecast to blow northwestward on Sunday across northern Luzon, the archipelago's most populous region. The capital region of metropolitan Manila would likely be spared from a direct hit but was placed, along with outlying regions, under storm alerts and warned of dangerous coastal storm surges.
“The rain was minimal, but the wind was very strong and had this eerie howling sound,” Roberto Monterola, a disaster-mitigation officer in Catanduanes, told The Associated Press by telephone. “Along a main boulevard here, the tidal surges went up to more than 7 meters (23 feet) near the seaside houses. It looked really scary.”
The entire province of Catanduanes had no power after the typhoon knocked down trees and electricity posts, and disaster-response teams were checking how many more houses were damaged in addition to those impacted by previous storms, he said.
"We need tin roofs and other construction materials, aside from food. Villagers tell us here that they still haven’t gotten up from the past storm and were pinned down again by this typhoon,” Monterola said. Nearly half of the island province’s 80,000 people were sheltering in evacuation centers.
Catanduanes officials were so concerned as the typhoon approached that they threatened vulnerable villagers with arrest if they did not follow orders to evacuate to safer grounds. More than 750,000 people took refuge in emergency shelters, including churches and a shopping mall, due to Man-yi and two previous storms mostly in the northern Philippines, Assistant Secretary Cesar Idio of the Official of Civil Defense and other provincial officials said.
The rare number of back-to-back storms and typhoons that lashed Luzon in just three weeks left more than 160 people dead, affected 9 million people and caused such extensive damage to residential communities, infrastructure and farmlands that the Philippines may have to import more rice, a staple food for most Filipinos. In an emergency meeting as Man-yi approached, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked his Cabinet and provincial officials to brace for “the worst-case scenario."
At least 26 domestic airports and two international airports were briefly shut and inter-island ferry and cargo services were suspended due to rough seas, stranding thousands of passengers and commuters, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippine and the coast guard.
The United States, Manila’s treaty ally, along with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei provided cargo aircraft and other storm aid to augment the government’s overwhelmed disaster-response agencies. Last month, the first major storm, Trami, left scores of people dead after dumping one to two months’ worth of rain in just 24 hours in several towns.
The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year. It’s often hit by earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, a resident recovers belongings from their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, residents try to fix their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, residents try to fix their damaged homes caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, toppled trees caused by Typhoon Man-yi block a road in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged structure caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
In this photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, a resident stands beside a damaged house caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
This photo provided by the MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Viga, Catanduanes province, northeastern Philippines Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (MDRRMO Viga Catanduanes via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump walked out to a roaring standing ovation just ahead of the start of the UFC pay-per-view card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, combining two things close to his heart: fierce battles inside the octagon and New York City.
Trump was accompanied by UFC President Dana White and the pair headed to their cageside seats to Kid Rock's “American Bad Ass."
UFC aired a video package of Trump's road to reclaiming the White House, calling it, “The great comeback in American History," while fans stood and applauded. Trump, wearing a suit and red tie, pumped his fist toward the crowd when the video ended.
The president-elect also had his clenched fists pumping back and forth and briefly danced to the Village People’s “YMCA” just outside the cage. He later again thrust his fist skyward as “Takin’ Care of Business” played.
Elon Musk, picked by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joined the president-elect and White at the Garden, as did Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in his incoming administration.
Trump was flanked on his front-row seat by White on his right and Musk on his left and politely applauded the fight winners. Besieged by photographers and nearby fans, Trump stood to pose for pictures with White, Musk and other associates in breaks between fights. Trump even had a brief conversation with country singer Jelly Roll after the pair shook hands.
UFC fans wore red Trump hats and some waved flags emblazoned with his image during breaks in the action.
Trump shook hands with the UFC broadcast team that included Joe Rogan. Rogan hosted Trump on his podcast for hours in the final stages of the campaign ahead of his election win last week. The announcers for the pay-per-view audience later declared, “Festive doesn’t even begin to describe” the scene before later proclaiming, “47’s in the building. Let’s go.”
The MSG crowd chanted “USA! USA!” right before the main card was about to start and then again throughout the action. After a year delay, Stipe Miocic is getting his shot at a third heavyweight championship reign when he battles current champion Jon Jones in the main event at UFC 309.
Trump is a longtime UFC enthusiast and frequent attendee of major fights. He made promoting hypermasculine tones a signature of his campaign — as he looked to further widen the gap among male voters between himself and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump and his top supporters embraced alpha-male terms and often accentuated them with vulgar and demeaning language.
While campaigning, Trump appeared frequently on podcasts, gaming platforms, and with key supporters who described a vote for Trump as a way to demonstrate true manliness. While Trump taped a podcast with Rogan, who himself has spoken about hypermasculinity, Harris failed to do a similar appearance, citing scheduling conflicts.
A return to Madison Square Garden means revisiting the place where a comedian caused an uproar at a Trump rally last month by likening Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.” Yet Trump continues to relish visits to New York, where he lived for decades, before moving to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump's son, Don Jr., also attended the fight.
Except for a day trip to Washington this week to meet for nearly two hours with President Joe Biden, and separately address House Republicans, Trump has been spending his time since his Election Day victory at Mar-a-Lago. The club has hosted galas and conservative events throughout the week.
Trump has been close to White for more than two decades.
White hosted a 2001 UFC battle at Trump Taj Mahal, a former casino-hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Trump has frequently attended UFC matches since – including during his 2024 campaign. Trump has turned up at fights recently with famous entourages, including White, musician Kid Rock and former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson.
In 2018, during Trump's first term, he and White starred in a UFC video where the then-president was called the “Combatant In Chief.”
As Trump has strengthened his grip on the national Republican Party over the last near-decade, White’s personal political profile has grown exponentially. White spoke at the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions, and when the party gathered in Milwaukee this past July. He also addressed the crowd at Trump’s Florida victory party in the wee hours of the morning after Election Day.
“This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said then. “What you’ve seen over the last several years, this is what it looks like: couldn’t stop him. He keeps going forward. He doesn’t quit.”
Weissert reported from Palm Beach, Florida.
President-elect Donald Trump looks on with Elon Musk, right, at a UFC 309 mixed martial arts flyweight title bout, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York, with Kid Rock, Donald Trump Jr., Dana White and Elon Musk. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Dana White, President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Kid Rock watch as Brazil's Mauricio Ruffy celebrates his win over Peru's James Llontop at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump talks to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at a UFC 309 mixed martial arts flyweight title bout, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Dana White, Vivek Ramaswamy, President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Kid Rock watch as Brazil's Mauricio Ruffy celebrates his win over Peru's James Llontop at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump talks on the phone next to Elon Musk during a UFC 309 mixed martial arts flyweight title bout, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump talks to CEO of UFC Dana White, left, as Elon Musk, second right, looks on at the UFC 309 mixed martial arts event, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump poses for a photo with Kid Rock and Elon Musk as they arrive at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
People hold a flag as President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump stands next to CEO of UFC Dana White, left, and Elon Musk, right, at the UFC 309 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump poses for a photo with Dana White, Kid Rock and Elon Musk at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Dana White, President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Kid Rock attend UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
FILE - Stipe Miocic in action against Francis Ngannou during a heavyweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 220, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)
FILE - Jon Jones reacts after his victory over Ciryl Gane in a UFC 285 mixed martial arts heavyweight title bout Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker, File)
CEO of UFC Dana White speaks as speaksRepublican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., smiles as President-elect Donald Trump attends a meeting with House Republicans in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP)
Elon Musk arrives before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
