The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
