The Philippines is bracing for catastrophe as Tropical Storm Ada (locally named Nokaen) unleashes its fury on the archipelago. The first storm of 2026 has brought torrential rainfall of up to 200mm a day, triggering fears of deadly landslides and "lahars"—volcanic mudflows—around the active Mayon Volcano.

Ada, packing winds of 105 km/h (65 mph), is slowly churning northwards along the east coast. While it is expected to weaken into a tropical depression by Tuesday due to the incoming northeast monsoon, the immediate danger lies in the sheer volume of water being dumped on saturated ground.

The Volcanic Threat

The situation is particularly dire for residents of Luzon island. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has warned that the heavy rains could remobilize old ash deposits on the slopes of Mayon Volcano, creating scalding hot mudflows capable of burying entire villages.

• Global Weather Chaos: The storm is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather. Europe is currently facing a deep freeze with temperatures in Poland and Ukraine set to plummet to -18C. Meanwhile, a storm system in the Mediterranean is battering Sicily and Malta with 11-meter waves.
• Impact: Schools have been closed, and power outages are reported across the Bicol region. Thousands have been evacuated from low-lying areas to escape storm surges estimated at 2.2 meters high.

A Climate Warning

For Kenya, which is still recovering from its own erratic weather patterns, the disaster in the Philippines underscores the intensifying reality of the global climate crisis. The ferocity of "Ada" so early in the year suggests 2026 could be another record-breaking year for extreme weather events.

As rescue teams in Luzon mobilize, the world watches anxiously, hoping the "lahars" remain dormant.