The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying 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 announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
