The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident also called in panic, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.
Scientists have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
