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The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.

Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.

Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”

By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.

Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.

The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Recent Context and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.

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

The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation this year.

Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.

International estimates suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.

The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.