The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped 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.”
By Monday, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated 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.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
