The island nation was severely impacted 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 flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
