Tropical Storm Fung-wong weakened from a super typhoon after striking the Philippines and was forecast to brush southern Taiwan Wednesday. Authorities evacuated 8,326 people—mainly in Hualien County—and closed schools and offices across central and southern Taiwan. Heavy rain and flooding injured at least 51 people in Taiwan, while the Philippines reported at least 27 deaths and more than 623,300 people in evacuation centers. Officials warned of 3–5 meter waves and urged residents to secure loose outdoor items and avoid beaches.
Tropical Storm Fung-wong Prompts Evacuations and School Closures as It Brushes Southern Taiwan
Tropical Storm Fung-wong weakened from a super typhoon after striking the Philippines and was forecast to brush southern Taiwan Wednesday. Authorities evacuated 8,326 people—mainly in Hualien County—and closed schools and offices across central and southern Taiwan. Heavy rain and flooding injured at least 51 people in Taiwan, while the Philippines reported at least 27 deaths and more than 623,300 people in evacuation centers. Officials warned of 3–5 meter waves and urged residents to secure loose outdoor items and avoid beaches.
05:08 PM, 11/12/2025Environment
Tropical Storm Fung-wong moves past southern Taiwan
Taiwan authorities evacuated 8,326 people from vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas and closed schools and government offices across central and southern regions as Tropical Storm Fung-wong was forecast to skim the island's southern flank Wednesday afternoon or evening.
Storm history and current status
Fung-wong had reached super typhoon strength when it battered the Philippines on Sunday, producing widespread flooding, landslides, power outages and at least 27 fatalities. By Wednesday morning it had weakened to tropical storm strength. Meteorologists placed the storm about 140 kilometers (87 miles) southwest of Taiwan over the South China Sea, tracking northeast at about 16 kph (10 mph) with maximum sustained winds near 65 kph (40 mph) and stronger gusts in parts of the system.
Impact and precautions
Heavy rains and flooding injured at least 51 people in Taiwan, the National Fire Agency reported. The majority of those evacuated were from Hualien County on the island's east coast, a region that was hard hit by a deadly typhoon in September. Local media showed dramatic footage of an overflowing creek inundating a Hualien village and a car being swept away by floodwater.
Officials closed schools and offices in Kaohsiung, Taichung and Tainan and in Pingtung, Chiayi and Miaoli counties. Taipei in the north continued normal operations.
Authorities warned residents to avoid beaches where waves were forecast to reach about 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16.4 feet) and urged people to secure signboards, fences, flowerpots and other loose items ahead of gusty winds.
Regional effects
In the Philippines, where Fung-wong was far stronger earlier in the week, more than 623,300 people remained in evacuation centers, the Office of Civil Defense said. Several of the Philippine fatalities occurred in landslides in the Cordillera highlands, a mountainous area known for rice terraces, cool breezes and tourist towns.
Authorities in both Taiwan and the Philippines continued to monitor conditions closely as the storm moved through the region.
Associated Press journalist Jim Gomez in Manila contributed to this report.