The island nation 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.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated 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 another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
