The island nation 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 stated that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
