The island nation was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of people across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and common. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Scientists report that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.
The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
