The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
