The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident 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 confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
