The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is causing cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
