The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming 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 intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
