The island nation 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 powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
