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The Philippines has been hit hard by Intense Cyclone Fung-wong, resulting in at least two people dead and displaced over a million residents.

Authorities reported that the powerful weather system caused widespread sudden floods, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, prompting the evacuation of 1.4 million people across the country.

Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, one of the worst-hit regions, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching the tops of houses and homes washed out by strong flows.

“Our personnel rescued 14 individuals stranded atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We rescued him and four relatives.”

As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: one from drowning on the island and another who died when her house collapsed on Samar island.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The intense storm weakened to a severe tropical storm early Monday while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts were still reaching more than 275 km/h.

The storm system is projected to lose strength while heading north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to evaluate destruction on buildings and roads.

Approximately thousands of shelters have been opened to temporarily house 92,000 families.

Recent Context and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, which killed at least 224 people with another 135 missing before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.

Searches for the missing persons were halted recently due to safety concerns to emergency personnel.

The climate crisis is making tropical storms more intense and frequent. Fung-wong is the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2025.

Researchers have found that the rate of intense cyclones hitting the Philippines has increased doubled over the last two decades.

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

The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday due to the severe damage caused by the prior typhoon and anticipated impacts from the new storm.