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The island nation 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 powerful weather system caused extensive sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and destructive gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of millions of people across the country.

Widespread Destruction and Emergency Operations

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and homes washed out by the powerful currents.

“Our personnel rescued fourteen people who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. One resident frantically contacted us, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”

By Monday, authorities confirmed two fatalities: a drowning victim in Catanduanes and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Typhoon Strength and Projected Path

The intense storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the main island, where the capital is located.

According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, though wind bursts peaked at over 170 mph.

The cyclone is projected to lose strength as it moves north toward Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

The national disaster response service indicated it was still working to assess damage on buildings and roads.

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

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck just days after another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended recently over risks to emergency personnel.

The climate crisis is making cyclones stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to impact the nation in 2025.

Researchers report that the frequency of intense cyclones striking the islands has risen doubled over the last two decades.

International estimates suggest that intense storms cause an average of millions in dollars in damage for the Philippines annually.

The nation’s leader declared an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the extensive devastation caused by the prior typhoon and the expected damage from Fung-wong.