The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
