The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity 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, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
