The island nation was severely impacted 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 gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers 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 intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.
