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The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.

Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.

Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.

“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”

By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.

The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report 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 approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.

The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.