Manila, Philippines – super typhoon fanwon I landed in the Philippines this Sunday and departed. 2 dead, 1 million evacuees before one of the country’s most powerful storms arrives this year.
The storm moved across northern Luzon, the archipelago’s most populous island, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, according to the PAGASA weather bureau. Winds of up to 185 km/h with gusts up to 230 km/h.
It was the 21st storm to hit the country this year, which is still barely recovering from Typhoon Karmaegi, which killed 224 people in the Philippines and five people in Vietnam.
Christopher Sanchez, 50, who was camping with his family on a basketball court in Isabela province, Luzon, said, “I heard on the news that the typhoon was going to be very strong, so I evacuated in advance.”
Due to previous flooding, the family carried their belongings to the roof and left.
“We are afraid. We are here with our grandchildren and children.”he said, in a stadium dotted with tents and children playing with elderly people sitting on plastic chairs.
Luzon and Eastern Visayas were among the hardest hit by the initial storm’s onslaught.
Officials said one person drowned and another was trapped under debris.
The storm was expected to weaken as it moved over land.
he Pope Leo XIII He prayed for the Catholic-majority nation.
“I stand close to the Filipino people affected by this devastating typhoon. I pray for the dead and their families, as well as the injured and displaced,” he said on Sunday.
Civil defense official Chen Kizhong said power was out but phone lines were still working in Luzon’s Aurora province, where the storm made landfall.
Several airports were closed, including Sangley near the capital Manila and Bicol in the south.
Phong Wong is expected to remain a typhoon and weaken as it moves north of the Philippines on Monday morning, reaching coastal waters, then moves out to sea and reaches western Taiwan on Thursday, PAGASA said.
Hungwon, whose cloud band 1,600 kilometers in diameter could cover two-thirds of the Southeast Asian archipelago, approached from the Pacific Ocean while the Philippines was still grappling with the clouds. Damage caused by Typhoon Karmaegi It then hit Vietnam.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared this before landing. emergency situation Because of the massive destruction caused by Kalmegi and the disaster foreseen by Fong Wong, called Uwang in the Philippines.
Fan Wong was discovered by government meteorologists just before noon on Sunday in coastal waters near the town of Pandan in eastern Catanduanes province, where visibility was obscured by heavy rain and fog.
In the Philippines, a tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) or more is super typhoon, This designation was adopted several years ago to highlight the urgency associated with such extreme climate change.
“The rain and wind were very strong and visibility was almost zero,” Catanduanes emergency official Roberto Monterolla said by phone this morning.
But despite Saturday’s call for residents to evacuate to disaster-prone areas, some remained.
“Our staff rescued 14 people who were trapped on the roof of a flooded house in a low-lying area,” Monterolla said.
“My father also called me in a panic, saying, “The roof of my house was about to be torn off by the wind.” We rescued the father and his four family members.
More than 1 million people have been evacuated from high-risk villages in northeastern states. Bicolcoastal areas susceptible to Pacific cyclones and lahars from the Pacific Ocean. Dear Mayon, One of the most active volcanoes in the country.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who oversees disaster response agencies and the military, warned of Fanwong’s potentially devastating impact in televised remarks Saturday.
Teodoro urged residents to follow authorities’ orders to immediately evacuate villages and towns prone to flash floods, landslides and coastal storm surges.
“We need to do this because it will be difficult to rescue people if it is already raining or a typhoon comes and floods start,” Teodoro said.
Teodoro said the Philippines has not requested international aid in the wake of the devastation caused by Calmaegi, but longtime treaty allies the United States and Japan are ready to provide assistance.
Several towns and villages in the eastern part of the country lost power as Phong Wong approached, accompanied by widespread winds and rain.
Anticipating assaults and scratches by Mr. Fong Wong, authorities in northern provinces pre-emptively declared schools and most government offices closed on Monday and Tuesday.
at least 325 domestic flights, 61 international flights More than 6,600 passengers and cargo workers were stranded at at least 109 ports as sailings were canceled over the weekend and into Monday, and the coast guard barred ships from increasingly rough seas.
The Philippines is hit by about 20 typhoons and storms every year. The country also records frequent earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the countries most prone to natural disasters.
Associated Press and Reuters News Agency
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