The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
