The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off 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 who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main 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, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause approximately US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
