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 sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning 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, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report 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 an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.