The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system 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 assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
