Typhoon Fung Wong Approaches the Philippines and Taiwan

Typhoon Fung Wong is approaching the Philippines and Taiwan, threatening another disaster in a year filled with destruction.

Transcript

00:00Families rearrange the pews at this church in Sorcegon, the Philippines.

00:07Not for mass, but for shelter as a violent storm approaches.

00:15It's been just days since Typhoon Kalmagi smashed through the central belt of the Philippines

00:19into Vietnam, with a confirmed death toll of around 200 people in the Philippines alone.

00:25Now Typhoon Fenghuang is starting to kick up ominous wind and surf off the north of the

00:30Philippines.

00:31After seeing what Kalmagi did, people in places like this church aren't taking any chances.

00:37They hope the building will hold up to the storm's fury, with wind gusts hitting 170 kilometers

00:42per hour.

00:45We have evacuated to this church because of the upcoming storm.

00:50We decided to evacuate because the recent typhoon brought floods in our area and now I just

00:55want to keep my family safe.

00:57We evacuated here so we'll be ready when the typhoon comes.

01:01I'm here because the waves near my house are huge.

01:05I live near the shore.

01:07The winds there are now very strong and the waves are massive.

01:11Forecasts have the typhoon crossing the island of Luzon Monday.

01:15But Philippine government meteorologists say it could affect almost the whole country, including

01:20areas still in shock from Typhoon Kalmagi.

01:24The search for the missing is called off for now, as people prepare as best they can for

01:28the coming storm.

01:29Fenghuang will be the 21st storm to hit the Philippines this typhoon season.

01:35But the destruction probably won't stop there.

01:38After the Philippines, the storm is expected to curve northward, passing directly over Taiwan

01:43from Thursday to Friday.

01:46Officials in Taiwan are keeping an eye on the eastern mountains, where a typhoon in late September

01:50burst a barrier lake, sending deadly floodwaters sweeping through Guangfu Township.

01:59Scientists are paying attention to the violence of this year's typhoon season, and warning a

02:03changing climate could only make extreme events like these storms more common, including in

02:08areas not used to storms.

02:10And another aspect that perhaps is a bit less talked about is there is an increase in rapid

02:19intensification events of these typhoons that are rather difficult to predict by current models.

02:28And because of that, they are particularly dangerous.

02:31But back at this church, evacuees are hunkering down for what, by around nightfall Sunday,

02:40could be yet another blow in a year filled with destruction.

02:44Lee Sin Chen and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.