The Philippines 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.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to 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 projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
