The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
