The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences 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. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
