The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities stated that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
