By peterside Rejoice
Over 1.4 million people were forced to evacuate as Super Typhoon Fung-wong, locally known as Uwan, battered the Philippines, triggering floods, landslides, power outages, and claiming at least four lives, including two children.
The typhoon made landfall on Sunday night in the coastal municipality of Dinalungan on Luzon Island, bringing sustained winds of up to 185 km/h and gusts of 230 km/h, according to the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense. A mudslide buried a house in Kayapa town, killing two children, while two other deaths were reported in Catanduanes and Catbalogan City.
Authorities said the storm affected nearly the entire archipelago, losing strength only after sweeping through northern mountain provinces and agricultural plains, before heading toward Taiwan. Taiwanese officials have issued evacuation orders and school closures in flood-prone areas, preparing for the typhoon’s arrival.
Dramatic footage from the Philippines showed rescuers battling strong winds and rescuing residents from flooded homes. In Nueva Ecija, farmlands were submerged, while massive waves swept across Catanduanes and Aurora provinces. Residents queued at shelters for food and emergency assistance.
About 318,000 people remained in evacuation centers on Monday, with nearly 1,000 houses reported damaged and some communities still blocked by landslides. Officials warned that residual rains still posed a danger in northern Luzon, including Metro Manila, and rescue and relief operations continued.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier declared a state of emergency due to the twin impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed nearly 200 people, and the anticipated destruction from Fung-wong. Over 325 domestic and 61 international flights were cancelled, and thousands of commuters were stranded as rough seas forced ports to close.
Typhoon Fung-wong marks the 21st named storm to hit the Philippines this year, a country frequently battered by tropical storms. Climate experts say rising global temperatures and warmer ocean waters are intensifying rainfall and storm strength, particularly affecting vulnerable regions like the Philippines.
Officials and private-sector disaster coordinators expressed concern over depleted resources due to back-to-back emergencies. “People are a little shellshocked,” said Butch Meily, president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.
With the storm now headed toward Taiwan, authorities in the Philippines continue to focus on rescue and recovery, while monitoring rivers, coastal areas, and flood-prone zones for potential further danger.
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