The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward 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
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
