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

Authorities stated that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.

Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes 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 frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Forecast

The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

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

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation this year.

Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.

The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.