The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
