The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof 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: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed 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 were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
