The island nation was severely impacted by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.
Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts
In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and residences washed out by strong flows.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”
As of Monday morning, officials confirmed two fatalities: one from drowning on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.
Storm Intensity and Projected Path
The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.
According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at 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 efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Climate Impact
The typhoon hit just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.
Global warming is causing cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.
Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.
Global assessments indicate that severe weather events result in an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country annually.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from Fung-wong.
