The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island 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, home to the national capital.
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 storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
