The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon 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, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
