The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working 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 Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms stronger and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
