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The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Authorities stated that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.

Extensive Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by strong flows.

“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped on the roof engulfed in flood in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer explained. “A father frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away by the wind. We rescued him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning in Catanduanes and another killed after her home gave way on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The super typhoon 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 dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, though wind bursts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.

The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

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

Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed hundreds of lives and left another 135 missing prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Searches for those still missing were halted on Sunday due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

Global warming is making tropical storms more intense and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.

Scientists report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

International estimates suggest that severe weather events cause approximately millions in dollars in losses for the Philippines every year.

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the extensive devastation from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.