MANILA, Philippines — At least two people have been killed after Super Typhoon Fung-wong — locally known as Uwan — made landfall on the Philippines’ eastern seaboard late Sunday, unleashing destructive winds, torrential rainfall, and widespread power outages across the nation’s main island of Luzon.
The category 5 storm, among the strongest this year, hit Aurora province at around 9:10 p.m. (13:10 GMT), according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Authorities say more than one million people evacuated from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas before the storm arrived.
Power Outages and Widespread Damage
Fung-wong brought sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 km/h (140 mph), toppling power lines and trees throughout the Bicol region and parts of Central Luzon. Entire towns were plunged into darkness Sunday night as floodwaters began to rise.
The Office of Civil Defence confirmed two deaths — a man who drowned in Catanduanes and a woman killed when her home collapsed in Catbalogan City. Officials warned that the death toll could rise as communications remain cut off in several provinces.
Several airports, including Bicol International Airport and Sangley Airport in Metro Manila, were ordered closed as a safety precaution, and major sea routes were suspended.
President Marcos Declares State of Emergency
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national emergency on Sunday evening, urging citizens to remain indoors and cooperate with local disaster response teams.
“We are facing one of the strongest storms to hit our country this year. The safety of our people is the priority,” Marcos said in a televised address.
Rescue teams have been deployed across Luzon, while hundreds of evacuation centers are at capacity. In some areas, local officials have described the storm’s reach as “nationwide,” with Fung-wong’s rain bands spanning nearly the entire country.
Fung-wong’s Path and Forecast
Meteorologists project that the super typhoon will track northwest on Monday before veering north toward the Taiwan Strait by Tuesday. PAGASA expects Fung-wong to remain a typhoon through Wednesday before weakening near western Taiwan and eventually dissipating over the Ryukyu Islands later in the week.
This marks the 21st tropical system to hit the Philippines in 2025 — slightly above the nation’s yearly average of 20.
Recovery Efforts Hampered by Previous Typhoon
The storm struck just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated parts of the Philippines and Vietnam, killing 204 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam, and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Recovery operations from Kalmaegi have now been suspended, as emergency workers redirect resources toward Fung-wong’s impact.
In Vietnam, Kalmaegi destroyed or damaged 2,600 homes, left 1.6 million households without power, and caused severe flooding across Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Quang Ngai provinces.
A Growing Climate Crisis
The Philippines and Vietnam — two of the world’s most disaster-prone countries — have long battled annual typhoons. However, scientists warn that climate change is making storms more intense and more frequent, with warmer ocean waters fueling record-breaking wind speeds and rainfall totals.
As Fung-wong barrels across Luzon, officials fear another humanitarian crisis may unfold in the coming days, with many coastal towns already flooded and communication networks cut off.
For now, the nation braces for more rainfall, power cuts, and the long recovery ahead.
