Super typhoon Fung-wong batters Philippines with 230 kph gusts, forcing evacuations and halting search efforts for previous storm’s victims
MANILA: Super typhoon Fung-wong began lashing the Philippines on Sunday with destructive winds and heavy rain ahead of an expected late-night landfall.
The massive storm system, with a radius spanning nearly the entire country, intensified to super typhoon status with winds reaching 185 kilometres per hour near its centre.
Gusts reached up to 230 kph as the typhoon worked its way westward toward the main island of Luzon.
Catanduanes island faced a potential direct hit from the powerful storm, with early morning waves already crashing over coastal streets.
“The waves started roaring around 7 am,” said Edson Casarino, a resident of Catanduanes’ Virac town.
“When the waves hit the seawall, it felt like the ground was shaking.”
Residents across vulnerable areas took emergency measures as the typhoon approached.
Some tied down their houses with ropes and placed weights on roofs to prevent them from blowing away.
In Sorsogon city, residents sought refuge in churches as conditions deteriorated.
“I’m here because the waves near my house are now huge,” Maxine Dugan told AFP on Saturday evening.
Rescue teams in coastal Aurora province conducted door-to-door evacuations ahead of the expected landfall.
Government meteorologist Benison Estareja warned of potential widespread flooding from expected rainfall exceeding 200 millimetres.
“It’s also possible that our major river basins will overflow,” Estareja told reporters.
The new typhoon forced the suspension of search operations for victims of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 204 people earlier in the week.
“We cannot risk the safety of our rescuers,” said rescue official Myrra Daven.
“We don’t want them to be the next casualties.”
Scientists attribute the increasing power of storms like Fung-wong to human-driven climate change.
Warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen rapidly while a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall. – AFP
