🔗 Share this article

The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.

“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”

As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

According to the state weather service, 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 storm system is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

The climate crisis is causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.

The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.