The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying 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, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working 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 Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with 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.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
