The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive 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 homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
