Massive evacuations ahead of the storm
The Philippines has ordered the evacuation of over 900,000 people from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas as Super Typhoon Fung-wong (locally named Uwan) intensifies and bears down on the northeastern part of Luzon. The storm is expected to make landfall on Sunday night or early Monday in Aurora province, after already unleashing fierce winds and heavy rains across eastern Luzon.
A volatile follow-up to recent devastation
Fung-wong strikes as the Philippines is still reeling from the recent Typhoon Kalmaegi, which killed over 200 people and left large areas of infrastructure weakened.
With sea-surface temperatures elevated and atmospheric moisture abundant, the new storm has the potential to cause wider damage than usual, including dangerous storm surges of up to 5 metres, according to the national weather bureau.
Storm intensity and warnings
- Fung-wong is already packing sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts of up to 230 km/h (143 mph) in outer bands.
- The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has issued the highest storm alert, Signal No. 5, for southeastern and central Luzon regions including Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Aurora. Metro Manila and surrounding provinces are under Signal No. 3.
- Large-scale rainbands already stretch across more than two-thirds of the archipelago, raising fears of landslides, flooding and infrastructure collapse in mountain and coastal areas.
Evacuation and response efforts
Authorities have mobilised military and disaster-response personnel:
- Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. urged citizens to comply with evacuation orders: “We ask that people pre-emptively evacuate so that we don’t end up having to conduct rescues at the last minute.”
- More than 2,000 troops were redirected from training duties to assist in humanitarian operations and logistical support.
- Schools, government offices and numerous commercial flights have been suspended or cancelled in high-risk provinces ahead of landfall.
Why the stakes are so high
Several factors amplify the danger posed by Fung-wong:
- Compounded vulnerability: Many areas hit by Kalmaegi are still recovering, with weakened infrastructure and exposed communities.
- Storm surge threat: Coastal provinces and river-basin communities face the twin hazards of storm-driven waves and inland flooding.
- Large geography: With a breadth of up to 1,500 km, Fung-wong’s rainbands extend far inland, increasing the reach of flooding and landslides.
What to watch now
- Whether evacuation numbers rise further — certain sources indicate over 1 million people may be moved.
- The effectiveness and speed of humanitarian response in isolated and hardest-hit areas, especially given limited accessibility.
- Whether the storm’s trajectory shifts, which could expand the risk zone to include more densely-populated provinces including Metro Manila.
- How damage to critical infrastructure (roads, power, communications) will impact rescue, relief and recovery efforts.
The takeaway
Super Typhoon Fung-wong represents one of the most serious threats the Philippines has faced this season. With worst-case scenarios of devastation still very much in play, the focus now is not just on weathering the storm — but on ensuring that evacuation, protection and recovery are executed effectively. The country’s resilience and the collective readiness of its people and services will determine whether further tragedy can be averted.
