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The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials stated that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of millions of people nationwide.

Extensive Damage and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters reaching rooftop levels and homes being swept away by strong flows.

“Our personnel saved fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was about to be ripped off by the wind. We saved him and four relatives.”

By Monday, officials announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and a second individual killed when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

According to meteorological authorities, its maximum winds dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The storm system is expected to lose strength while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service stated it was still working to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, where it killed five.

Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.

The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.

Researchers have found that the frequency of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.

International estimates indicate that intense storms result in an average of US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines annually.

The Philippine president issued a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.