The Philippines was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped 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 as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
