The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
