Over 1.4 million people in the Philippines evacuated when Super Typhoon Fung-wong struck on November 9, 2025. The storm was over 1,100 miles wide and had sustained winds of 115 mph. It struck Luzon, the main island with a population of 64 million, at 9:10 p.m. in Dinalungan, Aurora.
Nearly two-thirds of the Philippines, including Manila, were affected. This disaster followed just five days after deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi swept through the central regions and killed 224. President Marcos declared a state of emergency on November 6 as the country prepared for the storm.
The military dispatched 243 rescue teams and 1,500 personnel to assist the northern provinces. The government prepared over two million food packs and set up backup communication. Religious leaders, including Pope Leo XIV, asked people to pray for the nation as it faced its 21st named storm of 2025.
Officials placed the country on its highest “red alert” and warned that up to 30.8 million could be affected.
Destruction and Disruption Across the Country
The typhoon caused severe damage and halted daily life. Three children died in Nueva Vizcaya landslides; more deaths occurred in Catanduanes and Samar.
Thirty-six power transmission lines were knocked down, cutting electricity to nearly three million homes. Twelve lines remained down the next day. At least 1,000 homes in the north suffered damage or destruction.
Landslides cut off three towns in Aurora. Transportation was paralyzed, with over 400 flights canceled, including 325 domestic and 61 international flights. More than 6,600 people were stranded at ports as the Coast Guard halted all ships. Major airports, including Manila’s, were temporarily closed.
Schools and government offices in the capital, home to 15 million people, remained closed for days as the rain continued. Crops across Luzon, primarily responsible for rice and corn production, were destroyed. Previous 2025 storms had already caused over 1.1 billion pesos in agricultural losses, threatening food supplies.
Why the Philippines Faces So Many Disasters
The Philippines is hit by 19 to 20 typhoons annually due to its location in the Pacific. It also sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for earthquakes and volcanoes. Experts dub this a “supermarket of disasters.” Climate change is worsening storms.
Scientists say that major typhoons are now 25 percent more likely due to the warming of oceans. In 2024, six typhoons struck in a single month. Although Kalmaegi killed more, Fung-wong forced seven times more evacuations, the year’s largest.
Over 318,000 people from 92,000 families stayed in 6,000 emergency shelters; others found refuge with relatives or friends. Officials credit early evacuation for saving lives. Still, back-to-back storms strained disaster response systems. Recent spending on flood control and emergency aid has been affected by corruption scandals, raising doubts about its effectiveness.
Power companies worked nonstop to repair the lines but warned that full restoration would take days as safety checks on flooded equipment continued. As Fung-wong moved toward Taiwan, the country continued to face flooding and landslide risks.
With scientists predicting stronger typhoons from warming oceans, residents returning to damaged homes wonder: Is this cycle the new normal for a nation on the front lines of climate change?