The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
