The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over 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 were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
