MANILA: Typhoon Fung-wong — locally known as Super Typhoon Uwan — has weakened over the South China Sea after battering the northern Philippines, killing at least two people and displacing more than 1.4 million before setting course toward Taiwan, officials said Monday.
The storm made landfall Sunday night in Aurora province on Luzon island with sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 km/h (143 mph), tearing off roofs, toppling trees, and cutting power across several provinces. At least three towns remain inaccessible due to landslides and damaged roads, said Aurora Vice Governor Patrick Alexis Angara.
According to Reuters, the typhoon, locally named “Uwan”, damaged houses in the northern city of Santiago in Isabela province.
“We could not sleep last night because of the winds hitting our metal sheets,” said resident Romeo Mariano from Isabela province, one of the hardest-hit areas. “Almost all the tree branches nearby fell, and when we got out to check, we saw the damage.”
According to the Civil Defence Office, two people were killed and two others injured as Fung-wong pounded the country overnight. More than 400 flights were canceled as airports, bridges, and coastal towns faced widespread disruption.
The Philippine government declared a state of calamity, unlocking emergency funds and enabling relief operations. Authorities said the preemptive evacuation of more than a million residents helped prevent larger casualties.
The state weather bureau said Fung-wong has weakened but will continue to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of northern and eastern Luzon before tracking northwest toward Taiwan, where it is expected to make landfall on November 13.
The typhoon struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed over 200 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam, further straining disaster recovery efforts.
Warnings remain in effect for rough seas and strong winds across the South China Sea, and residents in Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands have been advised to prepare for severe weather later this week.
