Philippines Braces for Super-Typhoon Fung-wong as Kalmaegi Death Toll Rises

Philippines Braces for Super-Typhoon Fung-wong After Kalmaegi Devastation

Typhoon Kalmaegi has ripped through parts of Southeast Asia, leaving widespread destruction: at least 204 people killed in the Philippines and five fatalities reported in Vietnam. Homes were flattened, trees uprooted and power cut to millions, and officials warn further suffering may be imminent as a second storm approaches.

Mass Evacuations Underway

Rescue operations were temporarily suspended and large-scale evacuations began as Typhoon Fung-wong moved toward the Philippines just days after Kalmaegi. Authorities said Fung-wong could intensify into a super typhoon before landfall and "its radius is so wide it could cover almost the whole Philippines," according to a government meteorologist.

Officials urged residents in coastal and low-lying areas to move to safety because of the heightened risk of fresh flooding and landslides on already saturated ground. Emergency shelters were readied nationwide as the country prepared for what may be one of the season's most powerful storms.

Human Cost and Ongoing Search Efforts

Grief and exhaustion spread through Cebu province in Kalmaegi's deadly aftermath. Families gathered around rows of white coffins to mourn relatives lost to floods and landslides. One survivor, Jimmy Abatayo, who lost his wife and nine other relatives, said he had urged them to swim to safety; he later broke down at his wife's coffin.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a nationwide state of emergency as authorities prepared for Fung-wong's arrival, expected early next week. The Office of Civil Defense reported Kalmaegi displaced more than half a million people. Nearly 450,000 sought shelter in evacuation centres or with relatives, while rescue teams continued searching for more than 100 people still missing.

Impact in Vietnam

In Vietnam, state media reported five deaths (three in Dak Lak province and two in Gia Lai) and three people missing in Quang Ngai city. Kalmaegi destroyed or damaged nearly 2,600 homes and cut electricity to more than 1.6 million households. In Quy Nhon, residents found metal roofs and furniture strewn across streets as shopkeepers tried to salvage soaked goods.

Vietnamese authorities evacuated over 537,000 people before the storm. Kalmaegi dropped as much as 600 mm (about 24 in) of rain before weakening into a tropical storm and moving into Cambodia.

Climate Context

The Philippines and Vietnam are among the most typhoon-prone countries in the world, experiencing powerful storms almost every year. Scientists warn climate change is making those storms stronger and more frequent. Kristen Corbosiero, an atmospheric sciences professor at the University at Albany, noted Kalmaegi was already the fourth-strongest typhoon of the season and said the warm waters that fuel these storms are present for much of the year, increasing their intensity.

What authorities advise: follow evacuation orders, move to designated shelters, avoid floodwaters and landslide-prone slopes, and monitor official updates from local emergency services.