The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
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 dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
