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The Double Calamity Super Typhoon Fung-wong Strikes a Battered Philippines

Sunday, 09 November 2025 23:16

Summary

Super Typhoon Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, made landfall on the main island of Luzon on 9 November 2025, forcing the evacuation of over one million people and immediately claiming at least two lives. The storm, which reached Category 4-equivalent intensity, brought destructive winds and torrential rain, threatening to engulf up to two-thirds of the Philippine archipelago. Its arrival compounded a national disaster already in progress, as the country was still reeling from the devastation of Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino) just days earlier, which had killed 224 people and left over a hundred missing. The successive, powerful storms have placed an unprecedented strain on the nation's disaster response infrastructure, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a state of national calamity. With over 30 million people exposed to the hazards of Fung-wong, the government mobilised thousands of military and police personnel, while international allies stood ready to provide aid to the severely affected regions.

The Second Storm in a Week

Super Typhoon Fung-wong, designated locally as Uwan, slammed into the Philippines’ eastern seaboard on Sunday, 9 November 2025, marking the second catastrophic storm to strike the archipelago in a matter of days . The storm made landfall over Dinalungan, Aurora, on the main island of Luzon, at 9:10 PM local time . The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) classified the system as a Super Typhoon, a designation used for tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour (115 mph) or higher . At its peak intensity, Fung-wong was a Category 4-equivalent typhoon, with estimated 1-minute sustained winds reaching 215 km/h (130 mph) and gusts screaming up to 230 km/h (143 mph) . The sheer scale of the weather system was immediately apparent, with its massive rain and wind band stretching nearly 1,800 kilometres, a diameter large enough to threaten up to two-thirds of the entire Southeast Asian archipelago . The storm’s arrival forced the immediate suspension of search and rescue operations for victims of the preceding Typhoon Kalmaegi, underscoring the compounding nature of the disaster . The country, which typically experiences about 20 tropical storms annually, was now facing its 21st significant storm of the year .

A Nation Under Calamity

The arrival of Fung-wong occurred while the Philippines was still grappling with the extensive devastation left by Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, which had ravaged the central island provinces just days earlier . The death toll from Kalmaegi had climbed to 224 by 9 November, with 109 people still reported missing and 526 injured . The central province of Cebu suffered the heaviest casualties, reporting 158 fatalities . Kalmaegi’s impact was widespread, affecting approximately 3.3 million people across the archipelago and damaging at least 74,781 homes across seven regions . Preliminary economic assessments for Kalmaegi indicated agricultural losses of $184 thousand (PHP 10.9 million) and infrastructure damage of $292 thousand (PHP 17.25 million) . In response to the dual threat, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national calamity on 6 November, a measure that was enacted due to the destruction caused by Kalmaegi and in anticipation of the approaching Super Typhoon Fung-wong . This declaration was intended to accelerate the government’s response and recovery efforts .

Mass Evacuations and Immediate Casualties

The government’s urgent warnings prompted one of the largest emergency evacuations in the country’s recent history . Authorities successfully evacuated more than one million people from high-risk villages and coastal areas prone to flooding and landslides . Specific figures from the Philippine Office of Civil Defense indicated that over 916,860 people were evacuated from northeastern provinces, including the Bicol region, which is highly vulnerable to Pacific cyclones and mudflows from Mayon Volcano . Despite the massive pre-emptive effort, the storm’s initial impact resulted in immediate fatalities . Initial reports confirmed at least two deaths and three injuries . One person drowned in flash floods in the eastern province of Catanduanes, and a 64-year-old woman was killed in Catbalogan City, Eastern Samar, when she was trapped under the debris of her collapsed home while attempting to evacuate . The storm’s destructive potential was highlighted by warnings of life-threatening storm surges of up to five metres along the coasts of more than 20 provinces, including the densely populated metropolitan Manila . Forecasters also predicted that rainfall totals in the mountainous regions could exceed 400 mm, raising the specter of catastrophic flash floods and landslides .

Infrastructure Paralysis and Economic Threat

The Super Typhoon’s passage immediately crippled critical infrastructure across Luzon . Power supplies were severely disrupted, leaving over 1.6 million people without electricity in the affected regions . As a safety precaution, the civil aviation regulator cancelled at least 325 domestic and 61 international flights over the weekend and into Monday . Furthermore, the Philippine Coast Guard prohibited all vessels from venturing into the rough seas, resulting in more than 6,600 commuters and cargo workers being stranded in at least 109 seaports . The storm’s westward track threatened Luzon with significant economic consequences, with initial risk assessments suggesting potential damage to agriculture and infrastructure exceeding PHP1 billion . The agricultural sector, already fragile from previous storms, braced for impacts similar to those seen during Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which had resulted in preliminary crop insurance payouts of PHP666.7 million . The Office of Civil Defense estimated that more than 30 million people across the country could be exposed to the hazards posed by Fung-wong .

The Stretched Limits of Disaster Response

The back-to-back nature of the two major typhoons placed an immense strain on the Philippines’ national disaster response system . The government’s response was swift, with the military redirecting approximately 2,000 troops from field training to focus entirely on humanitarian assistance and disaster response . The Philippine National Police also mobilised nearly 10,000 personnel and resources to aid in the emergency efforts . The United Nations activated its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Anticipatory Action on 6 November, allocating nearly US$6 million to five UN agencies for early response efforts, a move triggered by forecasts indicating the storm would exceed the observational threshold for a Super Typhoon . Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. warned the public about the potentially catastrophic impact of Fung-wong, urging residents to heed evacuation orders and seek shelter away from vulnerable areas . The Philippines did not immediately call for international assistance following Kalmaegi, but its long-time treaty allies, the United States and Japan, were reported to be on standby to provide aid as the second storm unfolded .

Conclusion

The twin blows of Typhoon Kalmaegi and Super Typhoon Fung-wong in November 2025 represent a critical test of the Philippines’ resilience and its evolving disaster preparedness framework . The rapid succession of two highly destructive storms, one immediately following the other, has created a complex humanitarian crisis, forcing authorities to manage ongoing recovery efforts while simultaneously executing a massive pre-emptive evacuation . The immediate focus remains on search and rescue, providing relief to the millions affected, and mitigating the economic fallout that threatens to exceed one billion pesos . As the nation begins the arduous process of assessing the full extent of the damage from Fung-wong, the long-term challenge will be to integrate climate resilience into national policy, ensuring that infrastructure and agricultural systems can withstand the increasing frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones in the Western North Pacific . The events of November 2025 serve as a stark reminder of the Philippines’ geographical vulnerability and the escalating human and economic cost of a changing climate .

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