The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.
Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered extensive flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and homes washed out by strong flows.
Our team rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official stated. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual 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 as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.
According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.
The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate 92,000 families.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.
