The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another 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.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
