Mass Evacuation as Super Typhoon Makes Landfall
The Philippines is facing a severe weather crisis as Super Typhoon Fung-wong forced the evacuation of more than 916,860 people across the country's eastern coastal regions. The powerful storm intensified dramatically before making landfall on Sunday, 9th November 2025, bringing sustained winds of 115mph and dangerous gusts reaching 140mph.
Authorities issued urgent evacuation orders for residents in high-risk villages across northeastern provinces, particularly in the vulnerable Bicol region. This coastal area faces multiple threats from Pacific cyclones and potential mudflows from Mayon Volcano, one of the country's most active volcanic peaks.
Nationwide Impact and Emergency Response
Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr warned that Fung-wong could affect a vast expanse of the nation, including the capital Manila and Cebu province. The latter region is still recovering from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which claimed more than 200 lives earlier in the week and left approximately 100 people missing.
In a sobering public address, Mr Teodoro Jr emphasised the critical importance of heeding evacuation orders. "We ask people to pre-emptively evacuate so that we don't end up having to conduct rescues at the last minute, which could put the lives of police, soldiers, firefighters and coast guard personnel at risk," he stated, noting that refusal to comply constitutes both a dangerous and unlawful action.
The Office of Civil Defence indicated that more than 30 million people could potentially be exposed to hazards created by the super typhoon's path across the archipelago.
Transport Chaos and Emergency Shelters
The storm's approach has caused significant disruption to air travel, with nearly 400 domestic and international flights cancelled according to civil aviation authorities. Evacuation centres have been established throughout affected regions, including basketball courts and other public facilities repurposed to shelter displaced families.
Christopher Sanchez, a 50-year-old resident sheltering with his family in Isabela in northern Luzon, expressed the fear gripping many communities. "We're scared," he admitted. "We're here with our grandchildren and our kids. The whole family is in the evacuation area."
Super Typhoon Fung-wong is forecast to make landfall in Aurora province in central Luzon on Sunday night at the earliest, with emergency services remaining on high alert throughout the region.
