The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” 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 saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over 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, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
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 assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
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 an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
