The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Officials reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.
Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Searches for the missing persons were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The nation’s leader declared a state of emergency last week due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
