The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
