The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
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, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
