The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
