The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house 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 on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
