Typhoon Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, is set to make landfall in the eastern and northern regions of the Philippines on Sunday evening, local time. This storm is the 21st named storm of the year to impact the country. It’s exacerbating an already difficult situation, particularly for many disadvantaged and underserved communities. Fung-wong has a huge circulation that extends for more than 1,500 kilometers (932 miles). It’s on pace to deliver catastrophic winds and deadly storm surge and make a lasting impression on the affected area.
As the storm looms, over 100,000 residents are under evacuation orders in Southern California, with tens of thousands more under evacuation warnings. On Sunday, officials were ordering the evacuation of more than 100,000 people in the eastern and northern parts. They took dramatic and immediate actions to protect public safety. The Philippines is not new to these typhoons, as the country has been hit by several deadly storms over the past few years. Typhoon Kalmaegi, which preceded Fung-wong, was responsible for nearly 200 deaths in the Philippines. It took five lives in Vietnam, underlining the acute threats of such weather patterns.
Fung-wong’s effects are already being felt, with torrential rain and winds over 60 miles per hour pounding much of the area. On scales commonly used by meteorologists in the US, the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center has noted that Fung-wong’s winds have not crossed the super-typhoon threshold of 240 kilometers per hour (150 mph). Though the storm has become less of an immediate threat, it’s not over. The latest climate change report showed that the climate crisis is still supercharging rainfall events, as we saw with this storm’s storms like Fung-wong.
As one of Asia’s most flood-prone countries, the Philippines is highly vulnerable to the increasing impacts of typhoons. Ocean temperatures globally have broken records for the past eight years. In combination with warming ocean surface temperatures, this trend has produced perfect conditions for major storms to form. As Typhoon Fung-wong approaches, meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding and landslides in impacted areas.
Local officials across the state have been working around the clock to mobilize resources and get the communities ready for the storm. Emergency response teams, including search and rescue, are on standby to assist with evacuations and provide aid to those affected. The central government has already called on residents to start listening to any evacuation orders and focus on their safety as Fung-wong approaches.
