The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.