The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.
Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.
Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident frantically contacted us, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.
Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.
Relief and Assessment
The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Previous Storms and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.
Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently over risks for rescue workers.
The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has risen doubled in the past twenty years.
Global assessments suggest that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.
The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
