Typhoon Fung-wong heads towards Taiwan

Photo: depositphotos

Typhoon Fung-wong caused massive damage in the Philippines, killing eight people, according to authorities. It was the strongest typhoon to hit the country in years. The band of rain and wind was 1,100 miles wide and affected two-thirds of the archipelago.

A massive search operation is underway in the Philippines after the typhoon moved out to sea and headed for Taiwan, where it is expected to arrive in a few days. Catanduanes is among the worst-hit provinces. Floodwaters have reached roof-high levels in the province, with many homes washed away.

In the northern province of Nueva Vizcaya, residents were battling dangerous landslides. Other towns hit by landslides include Barling and Lubuagan in Kalinga province. Fung-wong, which was a super typhoon on Sunday, weakened to a typhoon on Monday after crossing the largest Philippine island, where the capital is located.

The typhoon's maximum sustained winds were 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph), but weakened to 102 kilometers per hour (63 mph) after making landfall. However, gusts exceeded 170 kilometers per hour (105 mph), according to the weather service PAGASA. The typhoon is expected to continue weakening as it moves toward Taiwan.

In the Philippines, around three million people were left without electricity. Nearly six thousand evacuation centers have been opened, capable of temporarily housing up to 92 thousand families. The climate crisis is making tropical storms and typhoons more intense and frequent. Typhoon Fung-wong is the twenty-first to hit the Philippines this year. According to scientists, the rate of super typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than a hundred percent in the past two decades.

Source: Guardian, Editorial Weathersunshine.com