The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
