The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction 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 being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon 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, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
