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The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Officials reported that the powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.

Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, emergency crews recorded floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes being swept away by the powerful currents.

Our team saved fourteen people who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”

As of Monday morning, authorities confirmed at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another who died after her home gave way on Samar island.

Typhoon Strength and Projected Path

The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Monday morning as it crossed 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 projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.

Roughly 6,000 evacuation centres have been opened to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Environmental Factors

The typhoon hit shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Searches for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.

Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.

Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled in the past twenty years.

International estimates indicate that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in losses to the country every year.

The Philippine president issued an emergency declaration last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.