The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded 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, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
