The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Operations
In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams documented rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by strong flows.
Our team rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”
By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Forecast
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning while moving over the main island, home to the national capital.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to continue weakening as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 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 prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
Global warming is making cyclones stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.
International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause an average of millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.
The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.