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The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.

Officials stated that the powerful weather system caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people nationwide.

Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences washed out by the powerful currents.

“Our personnel saved fourteen people stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him and four relatives.”

By Monday, officials confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Forecast

The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.

Per the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.

The cyclone is expected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The country’s emergency management agency stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for those still missing were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.

Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.

Scientists report that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

International estimates indicate that intense storms result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.

The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.