The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
