The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
