MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Typhoon Hungwon ripped through the northwestern Philippines on Monday, causing flooding and landslides, knocking out power across all provinces, killing at least eight people and displacing more than 1.4 million people.
The typhoon was forecast to head toward Taiwan from the northwest.
Fanwong slammed the northern Philippines at a time when the country is still dealing with the devastation caused by Typhoon Kalmegi last week. The typhoon killed at least 224 people in the central region on November 4, before hitting Vietnam, killing at least five people.
Fanwon made landfall in the northeastern state of Aurora on Sunday night as a super typhoon with winds of up to 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts of up to 230 km/h (143 mph).
The 1,800-kilometer (1,100-mile) wide storm swept through the mountainous northern states and agricultural plains overnight before weakening and blowing from La Union state into the South China Sea, state forecasters said.
One person drowned in a flash flood in eastern Catanduanes province, and another died when a house collapsed in Catbalogan city, eastern Samar province, officials said.
Two landslides killed three children and injured four others in the northern province of Nueva Vizcaya, police told The Associated Press. An elderly person was killed in a landslide in the northern mountainous town of Barig, officials said.
Another landslide occurred in nearby Lubuagan town in Kalinga province, killing two villagers and leaving two others missing, state authorities said late Monday.
More than 1.4 million people moved to emergency shelters or the homes of relatives before the typhoon made landfall, and about 318,000 people remained in evacuation centers on Monday.
Heavy winds and rain have flooded at least 132 villages in the north, including some where rapidly rising flood waters trapped some residents on their roofs. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Civil Defense Agency and other officials said about 1,000 homes were damaged, adding that roads closed due to landslides would be cleared as the weather improves on Monday.
“Although the typhoon has passed, the rains still pose a danger in some areas of northern Luzon, including Metro Manila,” Alejandro said. “Today we will undertake rescue, relief and disaster response operations.”
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency on Thursday, citing the massive destruction caused by Kalmegi and the expected damage caused by Hungwong, also known in the Philippines as Uwang.
Tropical cyclones with sustained wind speeds of 185 kph (115 mph) or more are classified as super typhoons in the Philippines to emphasize the urgency of further extreme weather disruptions.
Teodoro said the Philippines has not sought international aid following the devastation caused by Calmaegui, but longtime treaty allies the United States and Japan are ready to provide assistance.
Authorities announced that schools and most government offices would be closed on Monday and Tuesday. More than 325 domestic flights and 61 international flights were canceled over the weekend and into Monday, and more than 6,600 commuters and cargo workers were stranded at ports as the coast guard barred ships from entering rough seas.
The Philippines is hit by about 20 typhoons and storms every year. The country also experiences frequent earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
