The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents nationwide.
Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by the powerful currents.
Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The super typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is expected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.
Previous Storms and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from Fung-wong.
