The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
