Two people were killed as Super Typhoon Fung-wong made landfall in the Philippines on Sunday, bringing torrential rain and high-force winds in its wake.
Luzon and another island Eastern Visayas bore the brunt of the storm's early onslaught, with one person drowned and another trapped under debris, authorities said.
More than 400 flights were grounded in the Philippines ahead of the arrival of Super Typhoon Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan.
In preparation for the storm, AirAsia Philippines and AirAsia Malaysia have cancelled many domestic and international flights scheduled for November 9 and 10. Passengers are advised to check for updates on AirAsia's flight status website.
Those affected have been notified directly by text message and email, and can rebook their flights within 30 days at no additional cost.
More than 900,000 people have been evacuated across central and south-eastern regions, including the Catanduanes and Camarines Sur provinces. These areas have been placed under a Signal 5 alert, the Philippines' highest warning level, while Metro Manila and nearby provinces are under Signal 3.
Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro urged residents to comply with evacuation orders, warning that those who stay behind risk endangering rescue teams as well as themselves. “We ask that people pre-emptively evacuate so that we don’t end up having to conduct rescues at the last minute, which could put the lives of police, soldiers, firefighters and coastguard personnel at risk,” he said in a public address.
Fung-wong has recorded sustained winds of 185kph, with gusts of up to 230kph, bringing intense rainfall to many parts of Luzon in the northern Philippines.
The arrival of the storm comes as the country is recovering from Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, that just days ago killed 224 people in the Philippines, 13 in Thailand and five in Vietnam, with winds of up to 205kph.
