Typhoon Fung Wong intensifies, set to enter Vietnam’s waters tomorrow
Typhoon Fung Wong has intensified 18 hours after its formation, packing maximum winds of up to 183 kph, and is forecast to enter the East Sea (South China Sea) tomorrow morning as the 14th storm of the year in this area.
According to Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), the storm was located over the eastern waters of the central Philippines as of 7 a.m. today, moving west-northwest at 30 kph.
By 7 a.m. tomorrow, it is expected to enter the eastern part of the northern East Sea, with maximum winds of 134-149 kph, maintaining its direction but slowing to 25 kph. The storm is forecast to keep its strength and track over the next 24 hours before weakening and turning north-northwest, and then northeast, by Wednesday.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported the typhoon currently has sustained winds of 162 kph, maintaining that strength as it makes landfall over Luzon Island in the Philippines, before weakening to 144 kph upon entering the East Sea. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Observatory estimated current winds at 185 kph.
In the Philippines, Reuters reported that over 100,000 residents have been evacuated across eastern and northern regions as Fung Wong is forecast to make landfall in central Luzon Sunday night.
Meteorological agencies agree that the typhoon is unlikely to directly impact Vietnam’s mainland. However, it will churn up the eastern waters of the northern East Sea, bringing strong winds and waves 4 to 10 meters high.
Nguyen Van Huong, head of the Weather Forecasting Division at the NCHMF, described Fung Wong as an « unusual late-season typhoon. »
He explained that storms at this time of year typically move west or west-southwest toward south-central Vietnam. However, as Fung Wong enters the East Sea, the northern subtropical ridge that usually steers storms westward is weakening, allowing upper-level westerly winds to push the storm northeastward and out of the East Sea.
This new storm comes as Vietnam is still recovering from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which made landfall in the central region Thursday night, killing six people, injuring 26, and destroying 333 houses. That storm, which claimed 204 lives in the Philippines, has left a wake of destruction.
Over 32,000 homes in central region were damaged, while 54,000 fish cages and thousands of hectares of crops were affected. Landslides and flooding continue to disrupt major roads in Quang Ngai, Dak Lak, and Gia Lai, with total economic losses estimated at VND7.6 trillion (US$288.8 million).
The East Sea has recorded 13 typhoons and five tropical depressions since the beginning of the year, making 2025 the second-most active storm year in 30 years, behind only 2017. Storms including Wutip, Wipha, Matmo, and Kalmaegi have all directly impacted or caused major floods across northern and central Vietnam.
Even before Kalmaegi, natural disasters this year had already left 256 people dead or missing and caused over VND61 trillion in damages.
By Gia Chinh – VnExpress.net – November 8, 2025