The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
