The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
