Typhoon Fung-Wong triggers mass evacuations, flooding in Taiwan after Philippines landfall

Tropical storm Fung-Wong unleashed torrential rains on Taiwan on Wednesday, November 12, triggering flash floods and forcing mass evacuations days after the same typhoon took the lives of 27 people in the Philippines.

The storm which has since weakened from its peak intensity, dumped nearly 800 millimeters (31.5 inches) of rain on Taiwan’s mountainous eastern coast.

This failed drainage system and sent flood waters rising to neck-high levels in parts of Yilan and Hualien counties.

Record rainfall and widespread damage

Local media of Yilan showed severe inundation, with residents wading through deep, muddy water.

Soldiers were deployed to lead rescue efforts for those stranded in their homes and vehicles.

The typhoon hit mostly the harbor town of Suao, receiving a record 648mm (25.5 inches) of rain for the month of November.

Local authorities reported more than 1,000 homes were flooded in the town.

Mass evacuations and injuries

As reported by Taiwanese fire and emergency services, there are over 8,300 residents in the vulnerable eastern counties that preemptively evacuated to safer places.

The storm caused 51 injuries across the island, and officials responded to 349 incident calls.

In southern Taiwan, businesses and schools are shut down as a precaution.

The unseasonably late typhoon, intensified by a seasonal monsoon, has sparked questions about the role of changing climate.

A forecaster at Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration stated, “Summer is getting longer and typhoons are arriving later and later.”

Deadly path through the Philippines

Initially, Fung-Wong first made its destructive presence known over the weekend in the northern Philippines, where it struck as a super typhoon.

Local authorities reported 27 deaths and 36 injuries with lethal landslides and flash floods causing widespread destruction in communities across Luzon.

The storm displaced over 1.4 million people, with hundreds of thousands still residing in evacuation centers.

It is forecasted that the storm will graze the southern tip of Taiwan before moving out into the Pacific Ocean, having lost considerable strength.

Officials have also confirmed that the storm will not directly affect the northern hub of Hsinchu which is home to major semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC.