The 'super-typhoon' Fung-wong makes landfall in the Philippines, at least two dead

The 'super-typhoon' Fung-wong hit the east coast of the Philippines hard on Sunday night, resulting in at least two fatalities and the evacuation of over a million residents.

The storm, which has a radius covering nearly the entire Philippines, made landfall in Aurora province on the main island of Luzon at 9:10 PM local time (1:10 PM GMT), as reported by the weather service, just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated the country.

Strong winds and heavy rainfall are expected to affect much of the archipelago, where at least 224 people died last week due to Kalmaegi, according to the latest government report.

Fung-wong arrived from the east of the archipelago with winds reaching 185 km/h, and gusts potentially reaching up to 230 km/h.

In total, nearly 1.2 million people have been evacuated, according to civil defense reports, in a country still reeling from the devastation caused by Kalmaegi, the deadliest typhoon of the year.

A rescuer in Catbalogan, the capital of Samar province (west), Juniel Tagarino, reported to AFP that the body of the first victim was found beneath debris and uprooted trees.

The 64-year-old woman was fleeing with family members on Saturday night when she returned "inside her house, where she likely forgot something," and was found several hours later, he explained.

The civil protection office confirmed a second death, a person drowned in a flash flood on Catanduanes Island (northeast).

In Aurora, Aries Ora, a 34-year-old official, told AFP early in the evening that the rain was still light as he fortified his home in Dipaculao with steel plates and wooden boards.

"What really scares us is that the arrival is expected during the night," he said: "Unlike previous typhoons, we won’t be able to clearly see the wind movement and what’s happening around us."

Further north, in Cagayan province, evacuees in a shelter told AFP that fear of flooding convinced them to leave their homes.

"Our house is often flooded, so when we were told to evacuate, we complied; we risked being trapped," said Loretta Salquina: "The typhoon could take our roofs away (...) We are safer here."

Schools and public buildings will remain closed Monday across much of the country, including the capital, Manila, and nearly 300 flights have already been canceled, according to authorities.

On Saturday, residents attempted to secure their homes with ropes in hopes of withstanding the gusts, as shown in images shared on social media.

In a video authenticated by AFP, a church in the town of Birac is seen surrounded by floodwaters, rising halfway up its entrance.

Rainfall totals of 200 millimeters

Fung-wong is expected to deliver "precipitation of 200 millimeters or more, which can cause extensive flooding, not just in low-lying areas," warned Benison Estareja, a government meteorologist, during a press conference.

Rescue operations after Typhoon Kalmaegi were suspended on Saturday due to Fung-wong’s arrival in Cebu province (central), the most affected area.

Every year, around twenty storms or typhoons reach or approach the Philippines, with the poorest regions usually suffering the most severe impacts.

According to scientists, climate change driven by human activity is making extreme weather events more frequent, deadlier, and more destructive.

Warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen more quickly, while generally higher temperatures lead to a more humid atmosphere, resulting in heavier rainfall.