The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased 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 lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
