The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer 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: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
