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The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.

Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.

Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.

“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”

As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.

The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

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

Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.

The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.