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The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.

“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and a second individual who died after her home gave way on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.

The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.

Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.

The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.