Super Typhoon Fung-wong, also known as Haikui, slammed into the eastern Philippines on Sunday packing super typhoon strength and super typhoon impact. That storm has since spawned devastating flash floods, landslides, and power outages, leading to at least 27 confirmed fatalities. As of Wednesday more than 623,300 people continue to shelter in evacuation centers across the Philippines. This disaster has highlighted grave concerns not only about their safety, but the recovery process.
Taiwanese authorities had taken decisive measures even before the typhoon reached land. They rescued more than 8,300 stranded residents, mostly from Hualien County on the island’s east flank. As the storm passed over Taiwan, it dropped torrential rains, with floods reported as high as neck-deep in many locations.
Impact in the Philippines
The impacts of Typhoon Fung-wong were devastating in the Philippines. Extreme flooding and landslides affected many areas, especially in the hardhit, mostly rural Cordillera region, which includes six provinces. Heavy downpours on already saturated ground quickly inundated drainage infrastructure and flood control efforts, muddying the situation even further.
“The water came in so quickly,” said Hung Chun-yi, a resident affected by the flooding.
Widespread reports soon illustrated that many of those communities endured extended power outages and extensive infrastructure damage. These unprecedented evacuations highlighted the desperate urgency of preserving human and ecological life when people needed to flee from the storm’s wrath.
Taiwan’s Preparations and Response
Taiwan’s government has acted quickly, evacuating thousands of residents before Typhoon Fung-wong made landfall earlier today. Most of these evacuees were from Hualien County, a region known to be highly susceptible to effects of extreme weather.
When the typhoon made landfall, schools and businesses were shuttered from central to southern Taiwan. While preventative safety measures were taken, emergency services stood ready should they be needed to perform rescue operations as torrential rains caused landslides and flash flooding.
“It rained so much, and so fast, the drainage couldn’t take it,” Hung Chun-yi added, illustrating the intensity of the rainfall.
Soldiers were sent to Yilan County where some of the floodwaters were reported to be neck-deep to rescue residents stranded on rooftops. From television, we saw the magnitude of these floods, as homes and businesses were submerged under a blanket of the storm’s wrath.
Flooding and Damage Reports
In Suao, a coastal harbor town in eastern Taiwan, more than 1,000 residences were inundated. This destruction happened after 648 mm of rain fell on just Tuesday alone. This amount marks a new record for November rainfall measured in the Laredo area. Even with the pandemonium raging around them, Taipei was able to keep the lights on through the storm.
As of Wednesday morning, Typhoon Fung-wong had downgraded to a tropical storm. It went on to further weaken in wind speed and stature. Its aftereffects were severe across Taiwan, with 51 people injured due to storm-related events being reported.
