The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.