The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in 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, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel 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 the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines 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 intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
