The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
