The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying 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, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
