The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded 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,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, 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.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration last week because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
