The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“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 by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
