The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded 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 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
