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The island nation has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of over a million residents.

Authorities reported that the powerful weather system triggered widespread flash flooding, storm surges, mudslides, and fierce high-velocity gusts, prompting the relocation of 1.4 million people nationwide.

Widespread Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In the town of Pandan, a severely affected area, disaster response teams recorded rising waters reaching rooftop levels and residences being swept away by strong flows.

Our team rescued 14 individuals who were trapped atop a house surrounded by water in a flood-prone area,” a disaster-mitigation officer stated. One resident also called in panic, saying the roof of his house was about to be ripped off due to the storm. We saved him along with four family members.”

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

Typhoon Strength and Forecast

The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon early Monday as it crossed the main island, home to the national capital.

According to the state weather service, the storm’s sustained wind speed dropped from 185 km/h to 165 km/h, but gusts peaked at over 170 mph.

The cyclone is expected to lose strength as it moves in the direction of Taiwan.

Response and Recovery

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

Roughly thousands of shelters were activated to temporarily house tens of thousands of households.

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

The typhoon hit shortly following another severe storm, that claimed at least 224 people and left dozens unaccounted for prior to advancing toward Vietnam, causing five deaths there.

Search operations for those still missing had to be suspended on Sunday due to safety concerns for rescue workers.

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

Scientists have found that the rate of intense cyclones striking the islands has increased doubled in the past twenty years.

Global assessments suggest that severe weather events result in approximately millions in dollars in damage to the country every year.

The nation’s leader issued an emergency declaration on Thursday because of the extensive devastation from Kalmaegi and anticipated impacts from the new storm.