The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
