The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
