The Philippines 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 caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“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, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
