The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward 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 cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
