The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main 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 were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
