The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
