Typhoon Fung-wong battered the northwestern Philippines before moving out to sea on Monday, leaving at least four people dead and more than 1.4 million people displaced or evacuated. The storm was expected to continue northwest toward Taiwan.
Fung-wong, locally named Uwan, made landfall in northeastern Aurora province Sunday night as a super typhoon with sustained winds up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusts as high as 230 kph (143 mph). The system — roughly 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) wide — weakened as it crossed mountainous northern provinces and lowland agricultural areas, then exited La Union province into the South China Sea, meteorological authorities said.
Authorities reported four confirmed deaths: one person drowned in flash floods on Catanduanes island; a woman was killed when her house collapsed in Catbalogan city in eastern Samar; and two children were buried by a landslide that struck a hillside hut in Kayapa town, Nueva Vizcaya. The children’s parents and a sibling sustained injuries, police said.
More than 1.4 million people sought safety in evacuation centers or with relatives ahead of landfall; about 318,000 remained in emergency shelters on Monday. Fierce winds and heavy rain flooded at least 132 villages in northern areas, forcing residents of some communities onto their roofs as waters rose. Officials reported roughly 1,000 homes damaged and said landslide-blocked roads would be cleared as conditions improve.
Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the Office of Civil Defense warned that danger remained from continuing rains across northern Luzon, including parts of metropolitan Manila. “While the typhoon has passed, its rains still pose a danger in certain areas,” he said, adding that rescue, relief and disaster-response operations would continue.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier declared a state of emergency because of extensive damage from a previous storm, Typhoon Kalmaegi, and the anticipated impact of Fung-wong. Kalmaegi killed at least 224 people in central provinces before moving on to Vietnam, where authorities reported at least five fatalities.
The Philippine government has not requested international assistance following Kalmaegi, though officials said traditional partners such as the United States and Japan stood ready to help. Schools and most government offices were closed Monday and Tuesday. More than 325 domestic and 61 international flights were canceled, and over 6,600 commuters and port workers were left stranded after the coast guard halted sea traffic.
The Philippines averages about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year and is also prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Authorities continue to assess damage and deliver aid to affected communities as weather conditions permit.