Almost one million people have been evacuated across the Philippines as Super Typhoon Fung-wong barrels toward the country’s eastern seaboard, bringing winds exceeding 250 km/h (155 mph) and waves as high as 12 metres.

The typhoon, which intensified rapidly over the Pacific Ocean, is expected to make landfall near Catanduanes and Albay provinces late Sunday evening, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“This storm is extremely dangerous,” said PAGASA Director Nathaniel Servando. “We urge residents in coastal and low-lying areas to evacuate immediately. Do not wait for the winds to arrive.”

Mass Evacuations Underway

Government officials say the evacuations, among the largest since Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, were carried out across seven regions, including the Bicol Peninsula, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.

Schools and offices have been closed, flights cancelled, and electricity grids placed on high alert. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Red Cross have mobilised emergency teams and supplies to evacuation centres.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called an emergency cabinet meeting Sunday morning, saying that the government’s priority is “zero casualties.”

“We’ve learned from Haiyan,” Marcos said. “Preparation and discipline save lives. The order is simple: evacuate early, and don’t take chances.”

Storm Path and Global Tracking

Meteorologists say Fung-wong’s eye is roughly 180 kilometres east of Catanduanes and moving northwest at 20 km/h. The storm is projected to cut across Luzon, including areas near the capital Manila, before heading toward the South China Sea by Tuesday.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) in Hawaii has classified Fung-wong as a Category 5 super typhoon, placing it among the strongest systems of the year.

Satellite imagery shows a massive cloud wall spanning over 1,000 kilometres, signalling heavy rainfall that could trigger flash floods and landslides in mountainous terrain.

“This is a rainmaker as much as a windstorm,” said Jeff Masters, meteorologist at Yale Climate Connections. “Even areas far from landfall could see severe flooding.”

Remembering Haiyan

The government’s cautious approach reflects painful lessons from Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which killed more than 6,000 people in 2013. Since then, disaster protocols and early-warning systems have improved significantly, aided by real-time data sharing from international partners such as JAXA, NOAA, and NASA.

Still, authorities warn that infrastructure remains vulnerable. Many coastal areas rely on temporary housing, and some evacuation centres are already overcrowded.

“We’re safer, but not invincible,” said Richard Gordon, chair of the Philippine Red Cross. “Fung-wong will test every part of our disaster response system.”

The Takeaway

Fung-wong’s approach underscores the Philippines’ growing exposure to climate-driven extreme weather. The country faces more than 20 typhoons annually, but meteorologists say storms are becoming stronger and wetter, a trend linked to warming ocean temperatures.

As nearly a million people brace for impact, the storm’s trajectory and aftermath could once again reveal how a nation at the frontline of climate change struggles to protect its most vulnerable citizens.

“The wind may pass,” said one evacuation official in Albay, “but rebuilding never gets easier.”