The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water 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 by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
