More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from the eastern regions of the Philippines as the latest typhoon to hit the country – fung-wong – was boosted on Sunday ahead of the expected arrival of the sun.
Packing winds of 185km/H and gusts of up to 230km/H, the super typhoon is threatened to unleash heavy rain, damaging winds and strong winds and strong winds and strong winds.
Typhoon alert signals have been issued in many parts of the country, with parts of Eastern Visayas already experiencing power outages. More than 300 domestic and international flights have been canceled, according to the Civil Aviation Regulator.
Some images shared by the Philippine Coast Guard in Camarines Sur show evacuees carrying bags and narrow passenger boats while waiting for trucks to prepare.
In the coastal province of Aurora, where Fung-wong is expected late Sunday or early Monday morning, rescuers are ferrying residents to higher ground.
Typhoon fung-wong is expected to deliver 200mm or more of rain, which could cause widespread flooding, government meteorologist Benemologist Benisologo Benison Estareja told reporters on Saturday.
“It is also possible that our main river basins will overflow.”
Scientists have warned that storms are getting stronger because of the climate crisis. Warmer oceans allow storms to strengthen, and a warmer environment holds more moisture, which means heavier rain.
Fung-wong is expected to hit the Philippines within days of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed 204 people and left five others dead and devastated coastal communities.
On Saturday, rescue official Myrra Daven told AFP the approaching storm forced the suspension of search and rescue activities in the province, home to 70% of Kalmaegi.
“We have been ordered to temporarily suspend search, rescue and retrieval at 3pm today,” he said.
“We cannot compromise the safety of our rescuers. We do not want them to be the next casualty.”
The provincial government’s tally of 57 lost may rise, Daven said.
“We expect this number to increase because there are still places we cannot enter. Some access routes are still blocked by land and other things,” he said.
With reuters and fortunes France-Perse