The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction 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 just days after another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week due to the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
