Man-yi will be the sixth major storm to pound the Philippines in the past month, killing at least 163 people, leaving thousands homeless and wiping out crops and livestock. With wind gusts of up to 215kmh, Man-yi was on track to slam into the sparsely populated island province of Catanduanes later on Nov 16 or early Nov 17.

Typhoon Usagi weakened sharply on Friday after bearing down on the Philippines' northern towns, blowing away houses in its path as authorities brace for another storm that could hit the capital Manila over the weekend.

The fifth major storm in three weeks is approaching the Philippines, prompting more largescale evacuations and a United Nations request for emergency funds to help the government ease the plight of hard-hit villagers.