The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events result in approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
