Two dead, over 1M displaced as Super Typhoon Fung-wong hits Philippines

TYPHOON Fung-wong, locally known as Uwan, killed at least two and displaced more than a million people after sweeping across Luzon and the Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Monday.

- By Adrian H. Halili and Chloe Mari A. Hufana Reporters

‘The 21* storm to hit the Philippines this year brought flooding, storm surges, strong winds and landslides as it made landfall in Dinalungan, Aurora province on Sunday evening. The NDRRMC said two deaths were recorded in Bicol and Eastern Visayas, with two injuries reported in Western Visayas and Bicol.

About 1.198 million people were affected, including 523,383 who sought refuge in evacuation centers. Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro said local agencies were still validating the incidents.

“The storm right now is out of landmass, there are only scattered rains in Central and Northern Luzon,” he told a livestreamed briefing.

The state weather bureau expects Fung-wong to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Monday night or early Tuesday, though it may reenter by Wednesday as it moves toward Taiwan.

‘The storm weakened from super typhoon to typhoon after crossing Luzon. As of Monday, it was 135 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, moving at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph and gusts up to 160 kph.

Mr. Alejandro added that at least 6,200 passengers, 2,900 rolling cargos, 80 vessels and 24 motorboats remained stranded. The NDRRMC also issued 72 emergency alerts on tropical cyclone, heavy rainfall and storm surge warnings.