The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency indicated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
