The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities stated that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and residences being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Typhoon Strength and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
