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The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of millions of residents across the country.

Widespread Damage 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 strong flows.

Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed after her home gave way on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.

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 storm system is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Recent Context and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.

Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.

Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.

International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.