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.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water 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 due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
