The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left 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 destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team saved fourteen people stranded on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials announced two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Typhoon Strength and Projected Path
The super typhoon weakened to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
Per 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 over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The country’s emergency management agency indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for those still missing were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists report that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses to the country annually.
The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
