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The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.

Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.

Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”

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

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

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

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.

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

Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.

The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.