The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father 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, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
