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 stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
