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 flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
