The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon 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, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting 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, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon 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 were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
