Storm leaves 0.2m displaced in Philippines, heads for Taiwan

FE Team | Published: September 21, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

MANILA: People waiting to be rescued as they standing on the roof of their homes as tropical storm Fung-Wong battered the Philippine capital Manila Friday. — Reuters

MANILA, Sep 20 (Reuters): Storm Fung-Wong churned towards Taiwan on Saturday after killing at least five people in the Philippines, and forcing some 200,000 people into temporary shelter, including in the capital Manila, to escape massive flooding.
Most shools on the main island of Luzon remained closed for a second day as a huge mopping-up operation began. Some public offices have reopened.
"Some of our things are buried in mud, it will take awhile to clean up," a resident in Marikina City told Reuters while clearing up layers of mud and debris inside their residence.
Fung-Wong, with winds of 95 kph (59 mph) and gusts of 120 kph, slammed in the northern tip of the Philippines on Friday, cutting power in many areas and soaking rice and corn farms and bringing the capital to a near standstill.
The storm, travelling north at 15 kph, is expected to hit the Taiwan on Monday, according to the state weather bureau.
Fung-Wong, locally known as "Mario" centre is currently around 137 km northeast of Laoag City in the Ilocos province in the north. It was expected to be at 647 kms north of Batanes on Monday, outside the Philippine area of responsibility.
Alexander Pama, executive-director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said five people died, including a two-year-old girl who drowned in the capital. Two were electroncuted while wading in flood waters.