The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
