Fung-Wong Becomes Super Typhoon, Nears Philippine Landfall

Fung-Wong strengthened into a super typhoon as it approached the Philippine land mass, prompting the cancellation of government work, schools, and public events in the nation still reeling from a deadly storm a week ago.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of government work and classes at all levels in the capital region and nearby provinces on Monday, while work in private firms and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads, according to a statement from his office on Sunday.

In its latest bulletin, weather bureau Pagasa said Uwan, the local name for Fung-Wong, has intensified and “life-threatening conditions are now experienced” in the eastern island province of Catanduanes. Fung-Wong will make landfall Sunday night or early Monday “at or near its peak lifetime intensity,” it said.

It warned of heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surges even in areas far from the landfall point of Fung-Wong, which has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 230 kph. It falls under the “very strong typhoon” category and is nearing the “violent typhoon” category under the Japan Meteorological Agency’s scale.

“As the sea waves strengthen, our residents see their homes made of light materials already destroyed. Their closets and other belongings are now floating in the water,” said Congressman Jose Teves, speaking of his Baras hometown in Catanduanes, on DZRH radio station. “It’s a sad situation for us.”

There were 324 mostly domestic flights already canceled, and three diverted for Nov. 8-10, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.

Public events including in-person church services and basketball games in the capital region that includes Manila have been called off.

The death toll from Kalmaegi earlier this month reached 204 as of Saturday, government data showed. The series of tropical storms is putting a spotlight on the unfolding corruption scandal in the government’s billion-peso flood control projects, which has triggered public outrage.

The Philippines is battered by around 20 cyclones a year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.