The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
