The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
