The super typhoon made landfall this Sunday on the northeast coast of Filipinas and began to destroy everything in its path with a provisional toll of two dead, a million evacuees and enormous material damage in a country still reeling from the catastrophic path a few days ago of typhoon Kalmaegi, which left at least 224 dead.
Fung-wong, according to the first estimates of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), has made landfall in the city of Dinalungan around 9:10 p.m. local time, with maximum sustained winds of 185 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 230 km/h.
The two deceased have been identified in the eastern province of Catanduanes and in the city of Catbaloganin the eastern province of Samar. The first due to flash floods, the second buried by debris carried by the superstorm.
The northern provinces are being hit by destructive winds, heavy rains and storm surges. At this time, Metro Manila is also suffering strong winds and torrential rains.
The province of Aurora extends along the east coast of the Philippines and its southernmost point is about 140 kilometers from the capital.
The enormous diameter of the super typhoon will reach even the Visayas and Mindanao. After making landfall, Fung-wong will cross the mountainous terrain from northern Luzon and will emerge over Lingayen Gulf or the coastal waters of Pangasinan or La Union on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the country’s Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has urged the population to follow a series of preventive evacuation measures, given the threat posed by the typhoon, which could continue to directly affect up to 54 provincesincluding the Metropolitan Manila region, in the coming days. The OCD estimates that this phenomenon could affect more than 60 million people in total, the same medium points out.
For this reason, preventive evacuations have already begun in communities of low level and high risk and residents near rivers have been recommended to clean their areas, and those who live in landslide-prone areas have been recommended not to return to their homes until authorities consider it safe.
More than a million evacuees
Philippine authorities have reported that this Sunday more than 1.17 million people have been forced to leave their homes in the eastern, central and northern provinces, including the metropolitan Manila region, as well as the first two deaths recorded this day.
“We again ask the population to prepare, follow the warnings and apply preventive measures as the typhoon approaches,” urged OCD deputy administrator, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandrowho has asked Filipinos for cooperation and calm. “We have protocols to follow and this is for our safety,” he reassured.
