Six Dead After Back-To-Back Typhoons Hit The Philippines

At least six lives have been claimed as a powerful typhoon tore through the Philippines, following closely on the heels of another storm that had already killed over 200 people.

“Super typhoon Fung-wong brought floods and landslides, which caused most of the deaths.” Entire regions lost electricity, and the storm eventually weakened to a standard typhoon.

Authorities evacuated over 1.4 million people before the storm made landfall. The system is now moving toward Taiwan, where more than 3,000 residents have been moved to safety.

Fung-wong marks the 21st typhoon to strike the Southeast Asian nation this year, striking at a time when many communities are still struggling to recover from consecutive disasters.

“Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, slammed into Aurora province on Luzon Sunday night with sustained winds of around 185 km/h (115mph) and gusts of 230km/h.”

Earlier forecasts had warned of “high-risk of life-threatening” storm surges and powerful winds from the “very intense” typhoon.

In Cabanatuan, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents hurried to safeguard furniture and pets on Monday as floodwaters continued to rise, desperate to protect as much as possible.

Although Fung-wong’s winds were not among the strongest on record for the country, the storm unleashed torrential rains that destroyed or damaged roughly 4,100 homes.

“Cabanatuan resident Mercidita Adriano and her family had trimmed trees near their home last week to prepare for the storm.”

When the storm intensified, ten family members crammed into a single room, praying that their home would survive. “Part of their roof was torn off by the heavy rain.”

Many regions remain submerged, although water levels had begun to recede by Tuesday morning.

This disaster follows just days after another typhoon struck the same area, displacing tens of thousands, and comes after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Cebu in September.

While the Philippines regularly experiences natural hazards, experts say this succession of events is “not routine.”

“It is a stark reminder of the escalating climate and seismic risks faced by vulnerable nations. Urgent support is needed to scale up relief efforts, prevent further loss of life and support the country as it recovers from this latest disaster,” it said.