The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials stated that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another 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 Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
