The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
