The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
