The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
