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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 reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.

Widespread Damage and Emergency Operations

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented floodwaters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.

“Our personnel saved 14 individuals who were trapped on the roof surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, saying 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, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and a second individual killed after her home gave way in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The super typhoon was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the main island, where the capital is located.

According to the state weather service, its maximum winds decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.

The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading in the direction of Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The country’s emergency management agency stated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction to infrastructure and homes.

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Recent Context and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

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

The climate crisis is making cyclones more intense and frequent. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.

Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons striking the islands has increased by more than 100% in the past twenty years.

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

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.