The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working 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 just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
