The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that intense storms result in an average of millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
