The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction 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 Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
