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The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.

Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.

“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”

As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Typhoon Strength and Projected Path

The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.

According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.

The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.

Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Recent Context and Environmental Factors

Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed 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 stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.

Scientists have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.

Global assessments indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.

The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.