The Philippine government announced on Monday (November 10) that the super typhoon Fung-wong has caused the death of 4 people in the Philippines. As the wind weakens, authorities have begun to assess the extent of the disaster, with no reports of major damages received so far.
Before Typhoon Fung-wong made landfall on Sunday, over a million people in the Philippines had already evacuated their homes. The storm brought fierce winds, heavy rain, and huge waves to the densely populated island of Luzon, keeping many people awake all night.
Romeo Mariano, who lives with his grandmother in Isabela province, described to Reuters, “The strong winds were banging against the tin roof, tree branches kept falling, we couldn’t get any sleep at all.”
Philippine civil defense official Raffy Alejandro stated in a press briefing that initial signs suggest that Typhoon Fung-wong will not cause significant casualties.
Local civil defense official Alvin Ayson reported over the phone that a landslide occurred in Kayapa town in northern Nueva Vizcaya province, burying a house and resulting in the deaths of two children.
Prior to this incident, two individuals had already died, one from drowning and the other from being hit by falling debris.
Alejandro added that in Aurora province, where Typhoon Fung-wong made landfall, at least four towns are now isolated from the outside world due to landslides.
Weather forecasts indicate that “Fung-wong” is moving northeast towards Taiwan, with wind speeds decreasing to 130 to 160 kilometers per hour (80 to 100 miles per hour) on Monday, still maintaining typhoon intensity. Its outer circulation could bring heavy rain and trigger storm surges in coastal areas.
The forecast predicts that Typhoon Fung-wong will hit the densely populated west coast of Taiwan on Wednesday, with the heaviest rainfall expected on the mountainous east coast – an area that faced fatal flooding in September this year due to a typhoon, resulting in 18 casualties.
The Taiwanese government has ordered the emergency evacuation of residents in Guofu Township in the central part of Hualien County, the area hardest hit by the previous flooding.
(This article was referenced from Reuters)