The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official 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 along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
