Journalism of Courage
At least two people have died as Super Typhoon Fung-wong brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Philippines, cutting power in several areas and forcing more than a million people to evacuate, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The typhoon, known locally as Uwan, is expected to make landfall in Aurora province in northern Luzon as early as Sunday night, according to the state weather bureau PAGASA. It is the 21st storm to hit the Philippines, a country that typically experiences about 20 tropical storms annually, this year.
Authorities said the storm is packing sustained winds of 185 kilometre per hour (115 mph), with gusts reaching up to 230 kph (140 mph). Much of Luzon, the country’s most populated island, is under the highest or second-highest storm warning levels.
Several airports, including Bicol International Airport and Sangley Point in Metro Manila, have been closed as a safety measure, officials said.
The civil defence office said one person drowned in Catanduanes, while firefighters found the body of a woman trapped under a collapsed house in Catbalogan City.
More than a million people have been moved from coastal and flood-prone areas to temporary shelters, officials told AP.
Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro urged residents to follow evacuation orders. “We ask that people preemptively evacuate so we don’t end up conducting rescues at the last minute, which could put the lives of police, soldiers, firefighters and coast guard personnel at risk,” he said in a public address.
Civil defence official Raffy Alejandro said authorities hoped to avoid casualties this time. The military has deployed around 2,000 troops to assist with humanitarian and rescue operations.
In Isabela province, families have taken shelter in schools and sports centres converted into evacuation sites.
Christopher Sanchez, 50, said he and his family left their riverside home early. “We heard on the news that the typhoon is very strong, so we evacuated early,” he told AP. “In previous storms, the floodwaters rose above human height. We’re scared. We’re here with our grandchildren and kids.”
PAGASA said Fung-wong is expected to move northwest on Monday and north by Tuesday, maintaining its strength before crossing into the Taiwan Strait later in the week. It is forecast to weaken before making landfall in western Taiwan on Thursday and then lose strength further as it moves toward Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.
The storm comes as the Philippines continues to recover from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed more than 220 people in the country and five in Vietnam last month.
