The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels 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 also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing 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 causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
