The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
