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The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations

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

“Our personnel saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”

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

Typhoon Strength and Projected Path

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

According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

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

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.

Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines this year.

Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.

The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.