DST News: Typhoon Fung-wong moved away from the northwestern Philippines on Monday after unleashing heavy flooding, landslides and widespread power outages across several provinces. At least four people were confirmed dead, and more than 1.4 million residents were forced to leave their homes.
The storm is now tracking northwest toward Taiwan, according to weather authorities.
Fung-wong made landfall in Aurora province late Sunday as a super typhoon, packing sustained winds of up to 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 km/h (143 mph). Its large circulation — stretching roughly 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) — brought intense rain as it crossed mountainous communities and agricultural areas before moving out over the South China Sea.
The disaster struck while the country was still reeling from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which caused massive destruction in central provinces last week and left more than 200 people dead before continuing on to Vietnam.
Local officials reported two storm-related deaths in the eastern region: one person was swept away by flash floods in Catanduanes, while a woman in Samar province died when her home collapsed. In Nueva Vizcaya province, a pre-dawn landslide buried a small home in the town of Kayapa, killing two children and injuring their parents and sibling, police said.
Authorities said more than 1.4 million people sought safety in evacuation centers or stayed with relatives before the storm arrived, and roughly 318,000 remained in temporary shelters on Monday. Flooding affected at least 132 villages, with some residents rescued from rooftops as waters quickly rose. About 1,000 homes were damaged, while landslides blocked several key roads.
“Even though the storm has moved on, the rains it left behind are still dangerous in parts of northern Luzon and Metro Manila,” said Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Office of Civil Defense, adding that rescue and relief operations are ongoing.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier declared a state of emergency in areas hit hard by Typhoon Kalmaegi, anticipating further damage as Fung-wong approached. Domestic and international flights were canceled, schools and government offices were closed, and thousands of passengers were stranded at ports as the coast guard barred ships from sailing due to rough seas.
The Philippines faces an average of 20 tropical cyclones each year, along with frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the most disaster-vulnerable countries in the world.
Source: AP
