Only a week after Typhoon Tino devastated the Visayas, Typhoon Uwan — internationally known as Fung-wong — slammed into Luzon with violent winds and sheets of rain. More than 1.4 million people fled their homes before landfall, and at least four deaths have been confirmed as authorities continue to survey the damage.
Another storm, another long night
Uwan made landfall in Aurora province on November 9, tearing through coastal towns with gusts near 160 kilometers per hour. Residents described a night of relentless noise — roofs clanging, trees snapping, power lines whipping in the wind. When morning came, roads were blocked and homes lay in ruins.
Rescuers from Dipaculao said rivers had risen too high to cross overnight. “We had to wait until daylight,” one local officer said. “Whole stretches of the road just disappeared under the water.”
In Catanduanes, seawater surged inland and flooded the streets of Virac. A resident said the force of the waves made “the ground tremble every time they struck.”
Lives lost, power cut, roads gone
The NDRRMC confirmed two people drowned — one in Catanduanes, another in Samar — while two children died when a mudslide hit their home in Nueva Vizcaya. Over 837,000 people in 2,700 barangays were affected, and tens of thousands remain in evacuation centers.
More than 150 towns still have no electricity, and dozens are facing water and phone service interruptions. 71 roads and 26 bridges are blocked by landslides or debris. Schools and government offices across Luzon, including Metro Manila, suspended operations.
Four barges also ran aground in Antique, Batangas, and Palawan during the storm. Authorities said there were no oil spills or injuries.
Typhoon Uwan’s path and weakening trend
By Monday morning, the storm was 135 km west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, with maximum winds of 130 kph and gusts reaching 160 kph, PAGASA reported. It has since weakened as it tracks over the West Philippine Sea, expected to veer toward Taiwan by midweek.
Luzon provinces under Signal No. 3 — including Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan — are still on alert for possible landslides and renewed flooding.
Back-to-back blows for the Philippines
The impact of Typhoon Uwan comes only days after Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) killed 224 people in the Visayas. Meteorologists note that consecutive storms of this strength are rare but becoming more frequent as sea temperatures rise.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised the quick action of LGUs that ordered early evacuations and reduced casualties, but warned that response and clearing efforts must continue. Officials are now keeping watch over a developing low-pressure area east of Mindanao that could become the next storm.
What comes next
- Rescue and recovery: Ongoing in Aurora, Catanduanes, and Samar.
- Infrastructure repair: Roads and power lines are top priorities.
- Health and food security: Relief teams are monitoring shortages in evacuation centers.
- Preparedness: Local officials asked to replenish emergency supplies ahead of possible new weather systems.
For millions in Luzon, the week has been a cycle of flight, waiting, and cleanup — and the typhoon season still has weeks to run.
