Manila, Philippines – Super Typhoon Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, struck the Philippines on November 9, 2025, initiating the displacement of over 900,000 residents and causing initial casualties. The powerful system made landfall in Aurora province at 9:10 p.m. local time (13:10 GMT), bringing destructive winds and intense rainfall across the heavily populated island of Luzon, significantly disrupting air travel and prompting urgent humanitarian response efforts.
The typhoon arrived with sustained winds peaking near 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 km/h (143 mph). As Fung-wong tracks north-west across Luzon, the state weather bureau issued severe warnings concerning life-threatening storm surges along coastal areas. Across the eastern regions, immediate deterioration of conditions forced authorities to mandate evacuations from low-lying areas, including the Bicol region and Catanduanes, urging residents to move to higher ground before Sunday morning.
Initial Impacts and Widespread Disruption
Tragically, the storm’s initial passage resulted in at least two fatalities. Civil defense officials in Catbalogan City reported one individual drowned, while in another incident, emergency responders recovered the body of a woman trapped under debris.
The severe weather and associated risks led civil aviation authorities to shut down multiple airports, resulting in the cancellation of nearly 300 scheduled commercial flights. Forecasters anticipate the typhoon will maintain its strength as it progresses inland, posing persistent threats, particularly flooding and landslides, across Luzon. Rainfall totals are predicted to exceed 200mm in parts of the island, with 100mm to 200mm expected across the National Capital Region of Metro Manila.
In Aurora, ground reports detailed mass evacuations along the Sabang coastline. Police repeatedly visited hotels and coastal properties to ensure all guests and non-essential staff departed before impact. While some property caretakers stayed briefly to secure premises, staff primarily focused on tying down objects and barricading buildings before retreating to designated shelters. In central Aurora, over 200 people, including families with young children, sought refuge at a local sports complex, with many voicing serious concern over the intensity of the storm and the vulnerability of their lightly constructed homes near the sea.
Compounding Disasters and Heightened Vulnerability
Fung-wong’s arrival comes just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated parts of the country. The previous storm caused widespread mudslides and flash floods, resulting in at least 204 confirmed fatalities and over 100 missing persons. The double threat has severely hampered ongoing rescue and recovery operations from Kalmaegi. Given the back-to-back catastrophes, authorities had already declared a nationwide state of calamity, enabling the immediate unlocking of emergency funds and streamlined distribution of critical supplies.
For many Filipinos still grappling with the fallout from Kalmaegi, the new typhoon has intensified anxiety, driving swift pre-emptive evacuations to community shelters and churches.
The Philippines’ geography places it directly in the path of approximately 20 tropical cyclones annually. While climate science suggests warming oceans and a hotter atmosphere may not increase the raw number of cyclones, these conditions are known to intensify the storms that do form, dramatically amplifying wind speeds, rainfall, and the risk of catastrophic coastal flooding. As Fung-wong continues its destructive path across Luzon, residents are largely sheltering in reinforced buildings, awaiting the storm’s passage and preparing for the subsequent recovery effort.