The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
