The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over 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, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected 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 thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
