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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.

Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of millions of residents across the country.

Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, emergency crews documented floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.

Our team saved 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying 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, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Forecast

The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, home to the national capital.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The cyclone is projected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Recent Context and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and common. Fung-wong is the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.

Scientists have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has risen doubled over the last two decades.

Global assessments indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines every year.

The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration last week due to the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.