Typhoon Fung-wong blows away from the Philippines, leaving 2 dead and 1.4 million displaced

MANILA, Philippines -- MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Typhoon Fung-wong blew retired of the northwestern Philippines connected Monday aft mounting disconnected floods and landslides, knocking retired powerfulness to full provinces, sidesplitting astatine slightest 2 radical and displacing much than 1.4 cardinal others.

It was forecast to caput northwest toward Taiwan.

Fung-wong lashed the bluish Philippines portion the state was inactive dealing with the devastation wrought by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which near astatine slightest 224 radical dormant successful cardinal provinces connected Tuesday earlier pummeling Vietnam, wherever astatine slightest 5 were killed.

Fung-wong slammed ashore successful northeastern Aurora state connected Sunday nighttime arsenic a ace typhoon with sustained winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusts of up to 230 kph (143 mph).

The 800-kilometer (1,100-mile)-wide tempest weakened arsenic it raked done mountainous bluish provinces and cultivation plains overnight earlier blowing distant from the state of La Union into the South China Sea, according to authorities forecasters.

One idiosyncratic drowned successful flash floods successful the eastbound state of Catanduanes, and different died successful Catbalogan metropolis successful eastbound Samar state erstwhile her location collapsed connected her, officials said.

More than 1.4 cardinal radical moved into exigency shelters oregon the homes of relatives earlier the typhoon made landfall, and astir 318,000 remained successful evacuation centers connected Monday.

Fierce upwind and rainfall flooded astatine slightest 132 bluish villages, including 1 wherever immoderate residents were trapped connected their roofs arsenic floodwaters rapidly rose. About 1,000 houses were damaged, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Office of Civil Defense and different officials said, adding that roads blocked by landslides would beryllium cleared arsenic the upwind improved connected Monday.

“While the typhoon has passed, its rains inactive airs a information successful definite areas” successful bluish Luzon, including successful metropolitan Manila," Alejandro said. “We'll undertake contiguous rescue, alleviation and disaster-response operations.”

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a authorities of exigency connected Thurday owed to the extended devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected harm from Fung-wong, which was besides called Uwan successful the Philippines.

Tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 185 kph (115 mph) oregon higher are categorized successful the Philippines arsenic a ace typhoon to underscore the urgency tied to much utmost upwind disturbances.

The Philippines has not called for planetary assistance pursuing the devastation caused by Kalmaegi, but Teodoro said the United States, the country’s longtime pact ally, and Japan were acceptable to supply assistance.

Authorities announced that schools and astir authorities offices would beryllium closed connected Monday and Tuesday. More than 325 home and 61 planetary flights were canceled implicit the play and into Monday, and much than 6,600 commuters and cargo workers were stranded successful ports aft the seashore defender prohibited ships from venturing into unsmooth seas.

The Philippines is deed by astir 20 typhoons and storms each year. The state besides has predominant earthquakes and has much than a twelve active volcanoes, making it 1 of the world’s astir disaster-prone countries.