The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
