The Philippines has been hit hard 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 extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official 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.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
