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Super Typhoon Fung-Wong made landfall in the Philippines on Sunday, resulting in two deaths and prompting the evacuation of around one million residents ahead of one of the strongest storms this year. The cyclone traversed the northern part of Luzon, the country’s most populated island, bringing torrential rains, sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), and gusts reaching up to 140 mph (230 kph), according to PAGASA, the local weather bureau. This marks the 21st storm to hit the Philippines in 2025, following shortly after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which caused 224 fatalities in the Philippines and five in Vietnam.
Christopher Sanchez, 50, described evacuating early after hearing warnings about the storm’s severity. His family moved their belongings to their roof in advance of the flooding and took refuge in a sports arena filled with tents, elderly people on plastic chairs, and children playing nearby. “We’re scared. We’re here with our grandchildren and kids,” he said.
Early damage reports indicate Luzon and Eastern Visayas bore the worst impact, with one person drowning and another trapped under debris amid the heavy rains and winds. The storm is forecast to diminish as it moves inland, heading north of the country, and is expected to remain a typhoon into Monday morning before moving out to sea, weakening near western Taiwan by Thursday.
Pope Leo XIII expressed concern and offered prayers for the Filipino people, many of whom are Catholic. “I am close to the people of the Philippines affected by this violent typhoon. I pray for the deceased, their families, the injured, and those displaced,” he said on Sunday.
In Aurora province, where the storm made landfall, power outages occurred but communication lines remained operational, according to civil defense officials. Several airports, including Sangley near Manila and those in Bicol, temporarily closed operations in response to the storm.
Fung-Wong is expected to track northward, reaching coastal waters on Monday, before moving out to sea and gradually losing strength as it approaches western Taiwan on Thursday.
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