The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest 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 Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
