The Philippines' weather bureau warned of life-threatening storm surges of up to five metres and destructive winds as Typhoon Fung-wong churns toward the country's eastern coast, where it is forecast to intensify into a super typhoon before making landfall on Sunday night.
The typhoon's massive circulation, spanning 1,500 kilometres (932 miles), is already lashing parts of eastern Philippines with heavy rains and winds, PAGASA weather forecaster Benison Estareja said in a briefing.
"It can cover almost the entire country," Estareja said.
Fung-wong, locally named Uwan, is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kph and gusts of up to 170 kph, and could intensify to 185 kph as it nears land, Estareja said, powerful enough to destroy homes, topple trees and structures.
Up to 200 mm of rainfall is expected in eastern Philippine provinces, particularly in the Bicol region, as well as parts of Samar, raising the risk of widespread flooding and landslides, while northern and central Luzon could see 100-200 mm rainfall during its passage.
PAGASA urged residents in low-lying and coastal areas to evacuate to higher ground and halt all marine activities, warning of destructive storm surges that could inundate coastal communities, and warned of violent winds.
Several local governments have suspended classes for Monday, and the Philippines' flag carrier has cancelled some flights, ahead of Fung-wong's expected landfall.
The warning comes just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi left a trail of destruction across the region, ripping through coastal communities, toppling trees, and shredding roofs and windows.
Kalmaegi killed 204 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam, displaced hundreds of thousands, and knocked out power across wide areas.
Vietnam's disaster agency reported damage to nearly 2,800 homes, and said about 500,000 people remain without electricity. In the Philippines, raging floods destroyed homes and clogged streets with debris.
Vietnam and the Philippines are highly vulnerable to tropical storms and typhoons due to their locations along the Pacific typhoon belt, regularly experiencing damage and casualties during peak storm seasons.
In Thailand, Kalmaegi's lingering impact caused heavy rain and localised flooding in parts of the northeast and central regions.
Scientists have warned that storms such as Kalmaegi are becoming more powerful as global temperatures rise.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most s...
Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday (19 August), as authorities moved to strengthen security...
The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran on Tuesday after saying Iranian missiles had targeted maritime na...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Russia said its air defences downed 180 drones over the Moscow region overnight, with 620 drones reportedly targeting the area, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday (19 August), as authorities moved to strengthen security measures two weeks after a 14-year-old opened fire at a school and killed at least eight people.
The U.S. imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and a senior trial lawyer at the court Abdoulaye Seye on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Apple has announced a major overhaul of its business terms for apps distributed in the European Union, introducing a five per cent commission on digital transactions outside its App Store and simplifying its fee structure as it seeks to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
A record number of humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, with the growing use of armed drones contributing to mounting risks in conflict zones, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections despite the war with Russia, mounting what is widely seen as the biggest domestic political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment