The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to 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 rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
