The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
