The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
