The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts 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 country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
