The Philippines was severely impacted 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 extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof 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 due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm 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, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
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
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
