The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 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, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
