The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
