The Philippines has been hit hard 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 powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying 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, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim 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, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
