The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
