🔗 Share this article

The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.

Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “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.”

As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.

Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.

The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.

The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.

Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.

Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.

The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.