The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
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 also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
