Super Typhoon Fung-wong Devastates Philippines: Over 1 Million Evacuated and Widespread Flooding

Children walk along a sea wall in Manila in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Fung-wong

Typhoon Fung-wong has departed the Philippines, leaving over one million people displaced and at least two casualties in its wake. As of Monday, numerous villages remained underwater and many towns continued to experience power outages.

The massive storm, which affected nearly the entire Philippine archipelago, made landfall as a "super typhoon" on Sunday evening. Its powerful winds uprooted trees and its heavy rains submerged communities across its path.

This devastating weather event occurred shortly after Typhoon Kalmaegi had already ravaged the central Philippines, claiming at least 224 lives.

Recovery operations commenced Monday throughout affected regions, spanning from Cagayan province in the far northern area to Catanduanes island approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southward.

Provincial rescue chief Rueli Rapsing informed AFP that in Apayao province, adjacent to Cagayan, flash floods caused the Chico River to overflow, forcing residents to seek higher ground.

"We received reports around six in the morning that some people were already on their roofs," Rapsing stated. While most residents were rescued, verified footage showed some individuals remained stranded.

More than 5,000 people were successfully evacuated before the Cagayan River flooded the small city of Tuguegarao, located about 30 kilometers away. "Tuguegarao is underwater now," Rapsing confirmed.

Schools and government offices across Luzon island, including Manila, remained closed Monday. In the capital, residents began cleaning up after experiencing heavy overnight rainfall.

Rescue worker Geofry Parrocha reported from Dipaculao town in Aurora province that officials were assessing damage. "We're seeing many damaged houses and some of our main roads were not passable due to landslides," he told AFP. Power had not yet been restored to the area.

"We couldn't mobilise last night because the rain was heavy and the volume of water was high."

Samar province, which had already been severely impacted by Typhoon Kalmaegi the previous week, recorded the first confirmed fatality from Fung-wong on Sunday. Rescuer Juniel Tagarino told AFP that the body of a 64-year-old woman attempting to evacuate was recovered from beneath debris and fallen trees in Catbalogan City.

"The wind was so strong and the rain was heavy... According to her family members, she might have forgotten something and gone back inside her house," Tagarino explained.

Civil defense authorities later confirmed a second death – an individual who drowned in flash flooding on Catanduanes island.

Storm surges propelled waves over streets and floodwaters inundated homes in parts of Catanduanes. "The waves started roaring around 7:00 am. When the waves hit the seawall, it felt like the ground was shaking," resident Edson Casarino, 33, told AFP.

Verified footage showed a church in Virac town surrounded by floodwaters reaching halfway up its entrance. Significant flooding also affected southern Luzon's Bicol region, where streets transformed into raging torrents of water.

Nationwide, more than 1.4 million people were evacuated as the storm approached.

Fung-wong is now heading toward Taiwan, where it's expected to intensify the seasonal northeast monsoon and bring torrential rainfall to northern and eastern regions, according to Taipei's Central Weather Administration.

Forecaster Stan Chang told AFP that over 350 millimeters (14 inches) of rain is anticipated within a 24-hour period across the region.

Nearly 5,000 people will be evacuated from three townships in eastern Hualien county, according to local government official Lee Kuan-ting. These townships are situated near a barrier lake that burst during September's Super Typhoon Ragasa, killing 19 people.

President Ferdinand Marcos announced Monday that the "state of national calamity" related to Typhoon Kalmaegi would be extended to a full year.

Scientists continue to warn that storms are becoming more powerful due to human-induced climate change. Warming oceans enable typhoons to intensify rapidly, while a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall.