The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
