The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
