The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
