Category World News

A weakening Typhoon Fung-wong has departed the Philippines after killing at least two people, displacing 1.4 million, and destroying homes and roads across the country’s most populous island.

Rescue workers kicked off recovery efforts on Monday morning across the island of Luzon, home to some 64 million people, as the government lifted all travel restrictions.

Crews wielding power tools, saws and heavy machinery began tackling wreckage, while thousands of Philippine Coast Guard, police and military personnel assumed posts to aid evacuees and assist in rescue operations.

In the eastern coastal town of Dipaculao, where power was still out, footage shared by the local fire agency showed crews using axes to hack through enormous piles of debris – including felled trees and entire metal roofs – as they cleared a roadway.

“We’re seeing many damaged houses and some of our main roads were not passable due to landslides,” rescue worker Geofry Parrocha told the AFP news agency from Dipaculao.

“We couldn’t mobilise last night because the rain was heavy and the volume of water was high,” he said.

The typhoon – which packed winds of 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles per hour) and gusts up to 230km/h (143mph) – made landfall on Aurora province on Sunday evening, unleashing heavy rains and knocking out power to thousands of people.

Even as the storm weakened while moving northwest over the South China Sea, a deluge of up to 200mm (8in) of rain was slated to lash the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet and Zambales through Monday, weather bureau PAGASA said.

The bureau also warned of gale-force winds in coastal and upland areas.

The Taipei Times reported that Taiwan’s weather administration planned to issue warnings to residents on Monday and Tuesday, with the storm’s centre projected to strike the island by Thursday morning.

Fung-wong arrived mere days after Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the Philippines’ central provinces and killed at least 224 people. Kalmaegi then struck Vietnam’s central and highland regions, leading to the deaths of at least five people.

‘Still pose a danger’

In northern Luzon, high waters tore through at least 132 villages, including one where some residents were trapped on their roofs as floodwaters quickly rose. At least 1,000 houses were damaged, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Office of Civil Defense said.

Alejandro warned that the typhoon’s ongoing rains still posed danger to the island’s northern residents, including in metropolitan Manila.

“While the typhoon has passed, its rains still pose a danger in certain areas” in northern Luzon, including in metropolitan Manila,” Alejandro said. “We’ll undertake today rescue, relief and disaster-response operations.”

Nearly 320,000 people remain in evacuation shelters.

Flash flooding in the eastern province of Catanduanes killed at least one person, while another died in eastern Samar province when her house collapsed, officials said.

In Samar province’s Catbalogan City, rescuer Juniel Tagarino told AFP the body of a 64-year-old woman – who was thought to be in the midst of evacuating – had been pulled out from under debris and trees.

“The wind was so strong and the rain was heavy,” Tagarino said. “According to her family members, she might have forgotten something and went back inside her house.”

At least two more people were reported injured.

Major flooding was also reported in southern Luzon’s Bicol region. In Guinobatan, a town of about 80,000 in Bicol’s Albay province, videos showed streets transformed into raging torrents of water.

Authorities announced that schools and most government offices would be closed on Monday and Tuesday. More than 325 domestic and 61 international flights were cancelled over the weekend and into Monday, and more than 6,600 commuters and cargo workers were stranded in ports after the coastguard prohibited ships from venturing into rough seas.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong, which was also called Uwan in the Philippines.

The Philippines is hit by about 20 typhoons and storms each year.

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick to help Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 4-2 on Sunday in La Liga and cut Real Madrid’s lead down to three points in the standings.

The veteran Polish striker’s treble helped Hansi Flick’s side capitalise on Los Blancos’ 0-0 draw earlier at Rayo Vallecano.

Teenager Lamine Yamal also scored for Barca in another gripping game produced by the champions’ attacking approach, and Marcus Rashford produced two more assists.

Frenkie de Jong was sent off late on for Barca for two yellow cards but by then the champions had secured their victory to move second.

Lewandowski has had a stop-start beginning of the season because of injury and Flick said his hat-trick would boost his confidence.

“After the injury I can see a different Robert Lewandowski, he’s positive, he came back very early,” Flick told reporters.

“For him, for his confidence, it’s great to score three goals today.”

Lewandowski said the game was “one of the craziest” of the season, but was happy with the result.

“Vigo is always difficult for us but now we have less points (between us) and Real Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar.

Flick insisted Barcelona would not change their style despite some recent struggles, including a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, and it led to a wild first half.

The champions nosed ahead through a Lewandowski penalty on 10 minutes after a handball but Celta equalised a minute later.

Rashford missed a one-on-one chance and Celta broke away to score, with Sergio Carreira scampering behind Barca’s high defensive line.

Missing several injured stars, Flick had called on his team to show more fight in their absence and they were more energised at Balaidos.

Looking back to his best, Lewandowski grabbed his second from an inviting Rashford cross to put Barca back in front on 37 minutes.

Celta quickly hit back again, this time through Borja Iglesias, who smashed home from the edge of the box.

However, Barca went in with the lead when Rashford’s deflected cross found teenage star Yamal, who beat Ionut Radu at his near post.

Both teams were more stable in the second half, with Barca dominating and Celta forced to sit back.

Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a header from Rashford’s corner after 73 minutes to wrap up the win.

It was the striker’s seventh league goal of the season in just four starts, showing his finishing quality has not diminished at the age of 37.

“We have two weeks to disconnect now but I hope when we come back we play a lot better. It’s the perfect moment to change things that aren’t working,” said Lewandowski.

Real Madrid Frustrated

Earlier on Sunday, La Liga leaders Real Madrid were left frustrated in their goalless draw at Rayo Vallecano, giving champions Barcelona a chance to close in on them.

Rayo battled strongly in the derby clash and although Real Madrid had the better chances, the hosts also had opportunities to win a scrappy game.

They managed to limit La Liga top scorer Kylian Mbappe’s influence, while keeping Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham safely at arm’s length as well.

Madrid were hoping to bounce back from their UEFA Champions League defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday, but Alonso’s team dropped points for only the second time this season in the league.

“I want to keep growing, improving, with positive and constructive self-criticism – this is Real Madrid, we all know where we are and what we want,” coach Xabi Alonso told reporters.

“We’re in November, there’s a long way to go, we need to be demanding of ourselves (but) also be measured.”

Inigo Perez’s Rayo threatened first, when Andrei Ratiu fired straight at Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

After that Madrid began to take control but the hosts, in mid-table, held firm.

Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla made a fine instinctive save to push away a Vinicius effort and the hosts starved Madrid superstar Mbappe of the ball.

De Frutos and Alvaro Garcia came close for Rayo in the second half while Bellingham forced Batalla into another good save.