The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, saying 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, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
