Emergency response launched after twin typhoons hit Philippines
10 November 2025A second powerful typhoon has struck the Philippines in less than a week, forcing thousands of people from their homes and compounding the devastation left by an earlier storm.
Plan International has launched an emergency response to support children and their families.
Super Typhoon Fung-Wong reached the country’s eastern coast on Sunday 9 November, unleashing catastrophic winds and torrential rain.
With wind gusts reaching 215 km/h, the storm has caused severe flooding, crippling power outages, and deadly landslides across several provinces. Thousands of families have been forced to flee as coastal villages were swallowed by surging waters.
Thousands of homes wrecked
The latest disaster struck just days after another typhoon, called Kalmaegi, ripped through the central Visayas region, killing nearly 200 people and wrecking the homes of thousands. Entire villages were flattened, crops destroyed, and essential infrastructure rendered useless. Kalmaegi’s wrath extended beyond the Philippines, claiming more lives as it swept across northern Vietnam.
“We didn’t know if we would have anywhere to return to,” shared Mary Ann, a 34-year-old mother from Southern Leyte, a province that typhoon Kalmaegi struck on Tuesday morning, wreaking havoc in several municipalities
“Thankfully, we evacuated in time, or we might not be here today,” she said.
Mary Ann and her family are now safe at a designated evacuation center, but she worries about what comes next. “We don’t know where we will get the materials to rebuild our home. Right now, all we hope for is to receive essential supplies like food and water, especially since I have a five-month-old baby.”
With communities already vulnerable after the first typhoon, Fung-Wong has compounded the crisis, making emergency relief and recovery efforts even more urgent. Local authorities and humanitarian groups are racing against time to reach affected areas, but blocked roads and downed communication lines have severely hampered rescue operations and left numerous communities cut off from aid.
Emergency response teams deployed
Plan International Philippines has deployed emergency response teams to the hardest-hit areas to quickly assess needs and provide clean water, hygiene supplies, and other essentials to those most in need.
“The situation is dire – children and young women are in grave danger,” said Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang, Executive Director of Plan International Pilipinas. “In crises like these, girls are often the most vulnerable. They urgently need safe spaces and access to essential health care and services to help them recover and rebuild their lives. Our teams are working around the clock to reach the most devastated communities, but we cannot do it alone. Every act of generosity can help save lives.”
The Philippines faces an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, ranking among the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Experts warn the storms are growing more frequent and violent, fueled by the escalating climate crisis.
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