Powerful Cyclone Fung-wong Ravages the Philippines: Two Fatalities and Large-Scale Evacuations Reported

The island nation has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials stated that the powerful weather system triggered widespread sudden floods, storm surges, landslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents across the country.

Widespread Damage and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded floodwaters climbing to rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.

Our team saved 14 individuals stranded on the roof engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father also called in panic, reporting the roof of his house was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”

As of Monday morning, authorities announced two fatalities: a drowning victim on the island and another killed when her house collapsed in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

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

According to the state weather service, 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 as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

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

Approximately 6,000 evacuation centres were activated to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck shortly following Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed at least 224 people and left another 135 missing prior to advancing to Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing were halted on Sunday over risks to emergency personnel.

The climate crisis is causing cyclones more intense and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Researchers report that the rate of super-typhoons hitting the Philippines has increased by more than 100% over the last two decades.

Global assessments suggest that intense storms cause an average of US$3.5 million in damage to the country every year.

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week because of the severe damage from Kalmaegi and the expected damage from the new storm.