The Philippines moved more than a million residents to safety on Sunday as Super Typhoon Fung-wong swept toward the country, leaving at least two people dead and threatening widespread
destruction just a week after Typhoon Kalmaegi claimed hundreds of lives.
According to the national weather agency, Fung-wong struck the nation’s eastern coastline Sunday night, making landfall in Aurora province on Luzon at 9:10 pm (1310 GMT). The vast storm system stretches across nearly the entire archipelago, bringing powerful winds and torrential rain.
One of the first fatalities was reported earlier in the day in the central Philippines, already battered by previous storms. Rescuer Juniel Tagarino of Catbalogan City said a 64-year-old woman attempting to evacuate was found dead beneath fallen trees and debris. Authorities later confirmed a second fatality — a person who drowned in flash floods on Catanduanes island.
In Aurora, residents braced for a nighttime landfall. Government employee Aries Ora, securing his home with metal sheets and wooden boards, said the timing added to the fear: “We won’t be able to clearly see what’s happening outside.”
Further north in Cagayan province, families moved into evacuation centers, worried about severe flooding. “We often get flooded, so when they told us to evacuate, we left immediately,” said evacuee Loretta Salquina.
Schools and government offices across Luzon — including in Manila — will be closed Monday, and nearly 300 flights have already been cancelled.
Catanduanes island, expected to take a “direct hit,” endured heavy rain, fierce winds, and storm surges early Sunday. Local resident Edson Casarino described waves slamming into the seawall so forcefully “it felt like the ground was shaking.” Verified footage showed floodwaters partially submerging a church entrance.
Flooding was also reported in Bicol, where civil defence officials confirmed that nearly 1.2 million people had been evacuated nationwide as a precaution.
In Albay province’s Guinobatan town, videos showed streets turned into rushing rivers. Meteorologists warn that many areas could receive at least 200 millimetres (eight inches) of rainfall.
Scientists have long cautioned that human-driven climate change is contributing to stronger and wetter storms, as warmer oceans fuel rapid intensification and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.
On Saturday, residents of Catanduanes raced to protect their homes, using ropes and weights to keep roofs from being ripped away. “It’s our tradition — tying down the roofs so they don’t get blown off,” said provincial rescue official Roberto Monterola.
The country is still reeling from Typhoon Kalmaegi, the deadliest storm of 2025, which killed at least 224 people and left 109 missing after devastating Cebu and Negros islands. Search and rescue operations in Cebu were halted Saturday due to the arrival of Fung-wong. Photo by Patrickroque01 at English Wikipedia.