🔗 Share this article

The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Officials stated that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.

Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.

Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped 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 north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.

Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.

Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.

The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.