The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
