Typhoon Fung-wong, also known as Uwan in the Philippines, hasโค moved away from โฃthe archipelago nation,โ leaving a trail of devastation with at least twoโ confirmed deathsโฃ andโข displacing over 1.4 million peopel, officials reported Monday. Theโข storm triggered widespread โคflooding and โคlandslides across northern Luzon,โค prompting a state of emergency declaration by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday.
The typhoon’s impact has been notably severeโ in northern villages,โ whereโค fierce winds and torrential rain inundated at least 132 โคcommunities. Some residentsโค were reportedly trapped on their โฃroofs โฃasโข floodwaters rapidly rose. Approximately 1,000 houses sustained damage, and roads remain blocked by landslides, hindering rescue and reliefโ efforts. While the typhoon has passed, โขauthorities warn that lingering rainfall continues to pose โขa threat in certain areas, including metropolitan Manila.
Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Office of Civil Defense stated thatโค rescue, relief, and disaster-response operations โขare underway. “We’ll undertake โขtoday rescue, relief and disaster-response operations,” heโฃ said. Roads blocked by landslides will be cleared as weather conditions improve.
Tropical cyclones reaching sustainedโค winds ofโค 185 kph (115 mph)โ or higher are classified as “super typhoons” in โคthe Philippines, โขhighlighting theโข extreme nature of these weather events. The Philippines experiences approximately 20 typhoons and storms annually, alongside frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it oneโค of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Despite the extensive damage, the Philippines โhas not yet requested โคinternational assistance, though theโ United States โandโ Japanโ have offered support.Schools and most โฃgovernment offices are โขclosed Monday and Tuesday, โand over 386 domestic and international flights have been canceled, stranding moreโค than 6,600 commuters and cargo workersโข at ports due to roughโข seas.