The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading 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 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
