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The island nation 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 reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.

Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.

Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house 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: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Forecast

The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.

The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.

The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.