The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on toward 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 making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
