The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward 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 making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
