The Philippines has been struck by a second powerful storm within a week, as Typhoon Uwan, internationally known as Fung-wong, made landfall over Dinalungan
in Aurora province on Sunday night. The storm’s arrival prompted the evacuation of nearly 920,000 residents from 11 regions, according to the Presidential Communications Office. Authorities confirmed at least two fatalities — a man who drowned in Catanduanes and a woman killed after her home collapsed in Catbalogan City, Reuters reported. With winds reaching 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts of up to 230 km/h (143 mph), the Philippine weather agency PAGASA classified Uwan as a super typhoon on its local scale. The storm’s vast circulation, stretching over 1,800 kilometres, has engulfed most of the archipelago, sparking widespread flooding, power outages, and landslides. Officials warned that more than 200 mm of rainfall could inundate Luzon’s eastern coast, including the capital Manila, which remains under heavy rain and flood alerts.
DON’T LOOK AWAY!
This is Cebu, Philippines, where the death toll from Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) has climbed to 92.
Homes destroyed. Entire neighbourhoods swept away. These are people like you and me, children, parents, families, their lives changed forever.
Why do some disasters… pic.twitter.com/1qcpAtzXdy— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) November 5, 2025
PDRF: “Funds Are Starting to Get Exhausted” Amid Successive Disasters
“We’re getting ready, but this is starting to test our level of experience,” said Butch Meily, president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), in an interview with CNN. Meily confirmed that ongoing recovery in Cebu and Davao from Typhoon Kalmaegi has been interrupted as disaster teams divert resources to respond to Uwan. “Our funds are starting to get exhausted because of the number of emergencies,” he added.
❗️❗️ HORRIFIC flooding across Cebu, Philippines after Typhoon Kalmaegi (TinoPH).
Homes gone. Streets underwater. Families displaced.
This. Is. Not. Normal.
Warmer oceans = stronger storms
Climate change = worse flooding
What we’re seeing in Cebu is part of a growing global… pic.twitter.com/9fAM2daPBV— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) November 4, 2025
Videos posted on social media showed the destruction brought upon by the storm. Cars were seen being swept away in the heavy floods followed by Typhoon Uwan. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian told CNN Newsroom that thousands of evacuees are sheltering in schools, theatres, and government buildings. “For families who are still in their homes, they’re being forcibly evacuated already,” he said, confirming the government’s red alert status and 24-hour monitoring operations near Manila.
Back-to-Back Storms Expose Climate and Governance Strain
The onslaught comes just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated Cebu province, killing 188 people and displacing tens of thousands. Flooding was worsened by clogged waterways and alleged corruption in flood-control projects, which have triggered mass protests.
Meteorologists warn that human-caused global warming is amplifying the strength and rainfall of tropical systems across Southeast Asia. “It’s much stronger, but casualties depend on preparedness,” said Benison Estareja, a PAGASA weather specialist. Scientists note that warming oceans — at record highs for eight consecutive years — are fuelling storms like Uwan, which dump heavier rainfall over wider areas.
Uwan marks the 21st named storm to strike the Philippines this year, underlining the country’s position on the front line of the global climate crisis.
