The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
