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The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials stated that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.

Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.

Our team saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”

By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.

The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

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

Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.

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

The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.

International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.

The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.