The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened 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 dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
