The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
