The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened 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 before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
