The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
