The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
