Philippines warns of deadly storm surges as massive Typhoon Fung-wong nears

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.