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The Philippines has been hit hard by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities and displaced more than 1.4 million individuals.

Officials reported that the massive storm caused widespread flash flooding, coastal inundation, mudslides, and fierce gale-force winds, leading to the relocation of 1.4 million residents nationwide.

Extensive Destruction and Rescue Efforts

In Pandan, Catanduanes, a severely affected area, disaster response teams documented rising waters climbing to rooftop levels and residences washed out by the powerful currents.

Our team rescued fourteen people stranded atop a house engulfed in flood in a low-lying neighbourhood,” an emergency official explained. “A father frantically contacted us, saying his home’s roof was at risk of tearing away due to the storm. We saved him and four relatives.”

As of Monday morning, authorities announced at least two deaths: a drowning victim on the island and another who died after her home gave way in eastern Samar.

Storm Intensity and Projected Path

The intense storm was downgraded to a typhoon on Monday morning while moving over the Philippines’ largest island, where the capital is located.

Per meteorological authorities, the storm’s sustained wind speed decreased from 115 mph to 102 mph, but gusts peaked at more than 275 km/h.

The cyclone is projected to continue weakening while heading north toward Taiwan.

Relief and Assessment

The national disaster response service indicated efforts were ongoing to assess damage on buildings and roads.

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

Previous Storms and Climate Impact

Fung-wong struck shortly following another severe storm, which killed hundreds of lives with dozens unaccounted for before moving on to Vietnam, where it killed five.

Search operations for the missing persons had to be suspended on Sunday over risks for rescue workers.

Global warming is causing tropical storms stronger and common. This typhoon marks the 21st typhoon to hit the Philippines 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.

Global assessments indicate that severe weather events cause approximately US$3.5 million in losses for the Philippines every year.

The Philippine president declared a state of emergency last week due to the severe damage from the prior typhoon and the expected damage from the new storm.