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.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
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 report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
