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The Philippines was severely impacted by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Officials reported that the massive storm caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive high-velocity gusts, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million residents across the country.

Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to the tops of houses and residences being swept away by the powerful currents.

Our team saved 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” an emergency official stated. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him along with four family members.”

By Monday, officials confirmed at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and a second individual who died when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The intense storm weakened to a typhoon on Monday morning as it crossed the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

According to meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching over 170 mph.

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

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service stated efforts were ongoing to assess damage to infrastructure and homes.

Approximately thousands of shelters were activated to accommodate tens of thousands of households.

Recent Context and Environmental Factors

Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, that claimed hundreds of lives with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for the missing persons were halted recently over risks to emergency personnel.

Global warming is making cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the twenty-first storm to impact the nation in 2025.

Researchers have found that the frequency of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.

International estimates suggest that severe weather events result in approximately US$3.5 million in losses to the country every year.

The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration last week because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.