The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
