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.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded 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 decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency 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.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
