The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
