The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left a minimum of two fatalities and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.
Authorities reported that the massive storm triggered extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.
Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts
In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews documented rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.
“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”
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 Forecast
The super typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.
Per the state weather service, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.
The cyclone is projected to continue weakening as it moves north toward Taiwan.
Response and Recovery
The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.
Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.
Recent Context and Environmental Factors
The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.
Searches for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.
The climate crisis is causing cyclones stronger and frequent. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.
Scientists have found that the frequency of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased doubled over the last two decades.
International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.
The nation’s leader issued a state of emergency on Thursday because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.
