The Philippines has been hit hard 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 extensive sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
