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The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone 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 extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.

Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.

Our team saved fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”

As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

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

According to the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

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

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

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

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

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

Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.

Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.

The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.