The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped 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 country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
