The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
