Super Typhoon Fung-wong roared into the Philippines on Sunday, killing at least two people and forcing more than one million residents to evacuate coastal and low-lying areas.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the storm made landfall on the northeastern coast of Luzon with sustained winds of 185 km/h and gusts reaching 230 km/h. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in several provinces as torrential rain, flash floods, and landslides hit communities across the region.
Local officials confirmed that one man drowned in Catanduanes Province while another woman died after her home collapsed in Catbalogan City. Power outages were reported in at least five provinces, while communication lines remain disrupted in several areas.
Schools, government offices, and airports have been closed as disaster agencies work to relocate residents to temporary shelters. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered rapid response teams to the hardest-hit areas, pledging federal support for relief and recovery efforts.
The typhoon is expected to weaken slightly as it moves northwest toward the South China Sea, though forecasters warned of continued heavy rainfall and possible storm surges.
The Philippines, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but Fung-wong ranks among the most powerful storms to hit the nation in recent years.
