Photo: Shutterstock Super Typhoon leaves two dead, 1.4 million evacuated. Super Typhoon Fung-wong swept through the Philippines over the weekend, leaving at least two people dead, more than 1.4 million evacuated, and widespread flooding and destruction across several provinces.
Super Typhoon fung-Wong. Spurce: PAGASAAuthorities said the massive storm brought flash floods, landslides, and winds strong enough to tear off roofs and wash away homes. In Catanduanes, one of the hardest-hit areas, “Our personnel rescued 14 people who were trapped on the roof of a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” said Roberto Monterola, a local disaster officer. “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.”
The storm was downgraded from a super typhoon to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed Luzon, the country’s largest island. Wind speeds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though gusts still reached 275 km/h, according to PAGASA.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centers have been established, accommodating around 92,000 families. The disaster agency is still assessing the damage to homes and infrastructure.
Fung-wong hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed over 220 people and left more than 130 missing. Scientists warn that the climate crisis is making such storms more frequent and more severe.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a state of emergency following the back-to-back disasters.