.png)
Tropical Cyclone Matmo and Fengshen
Tropical Cyclone Fengshen on October 17-27, 2025
On October 17-21, according to the Philippine Atmosphere, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), PAGASA monitored INVEST 96W as it intensified into tropical depression then it strengthened into tropical cyclone Fengshen at east of Virac, Catanduanes, the Philippines. Tropical cyclone Fengshen moved westward across the South China Sea in late October 2025, bringing strong winds of 75–102 km/h and gusts up to level 12. On October 22, it was located northeast of Da Nang, Vietnam, and continued moving west-southwest, making landfall between Quang Tri and Da Nang before weakening into a low-pressure area over southern Lao PDR. The cyclone caused heavy rainfall and strong winds from October 22–27, affecting parts of Vietnam, Cambodia, central and southern Lao PDR, and northeastern Thailand. Although tropical cyclone Fengshen did not make landfall in Thailand, the country experienced monsoon-related situations. La Niña conditions in the Pacific are expected to bring above-normal rainfall from October 2025 to February 2026, increasing risks of floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
Tropical Cyclone Matmo on October 2-5, 2025
On October 2, 2025, the PAGASA identified a tropical cyclone named Matmo, which was locally named “Paolo”, developing over east of Infanta, Quezon, the Philippine Sea. Moving westward at around 20 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gusts up to
90 km/h, the cyclone brought heavy rainfall as it passed over southern Isabela and northern Aurora on October 3, producing up to 200 mm of rain and coastal surges of 1–3 meters. By October 5, the cyclone continued toward Vietnam and southern China, where winds intensified to levels 12–13 (118–149 km/h). The cyclone caused rough seas, strong winds, flooding, and thunderstorms across affected areas, cooperating preparedness and recovery efforts in both the Philippines and Vietnam, following the recent impacts of tropical cyclone Mitag, Ragasa, and Bualoi.
Damage and losses
Impact on the affected area
Tropical cyclones Matmo and Fengshen severely impacted parts of Luzon, Philippines, affecting over 130,000 to 314,000 people across several regions, including Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CAR, and Calabarzon. The storms brought torrential rains, strong winds, and storm surges up to 3 meters, causing extensive flooding, landslides, and power outages. Multiple road sections, bridges, and seaports were rendered impassable, with thousands displaced and over 13,000 people sheltering in evacuation centers. At least 8 deaths, 1 injury, and 2 missing persons were reported, while damage assessments to homes and infrastructure were still ongoing.
Severe heavy rains and thunderstorms across northern and central Vietnam, including provinces such as Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Son La, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, and Ho Chi Minh City, triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage. At least 15 people were reported dead or missing, with approximately 222,856 houses flooded and over 22,900 hectares of crops damaged. Significant livestock losses were also recorded, together with multiple landslide incidents, flooded roads, and damaged boats in coastal areas. While floodings in several locations have begun to recede, recovery efforts continue amid extensive property and agricultural losses.
Agricultural devastation
Agricultural land:
Affected crops:
Government responses and countermeasures
In response to the impacts of several tropical cyclones, the Vietnamese government approved 140 billion VND (approximately 6.14 million USD) in financial aid for affected provinces, including Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Bac Ninh, under Decision No. 2221/QD-TTg issued on October 8, 2025.
In the Philippines, over 8,000 residents were evacuated from flood and landslide areas in Isabela and Aurora, with school closures and vessel restrictions due to rough seas. The European Union also provided 800,000 EUR (approximately 0.92 million USD) in humanitarian aid for cyclone and flood relief. Both countries focused on strengthening disaster preparedness through early warning systems, infrastructure upgrades, financial resilience mechanisms, and enhanced local and community response capacities.
Sources:
Download PDF file click here: Tropical Cyclone Matmo and Fengshen
The AFSIS Secretariat participated in the 10th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS X), held from 8 to 10 July 2026 at the ICE Krakow Congress Centre in Krakow, Poland. Jointly organized by Statistics Poland, Eurostat, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the World Bank Group, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
.JPG)
On 24–25 June 2026, AFSIS Secretariat participated in the 46th Meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) via a virtual conference. The Meeting was jointly organized by the AFSRB Secretariat and the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and was hosted in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
On 17–18 June 2026, the 24th AFSIS Focal Point Meeting was successfully convened via video conference, hosted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in collaboration with the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat.
.jpg)
The ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Japan, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), conducted the 2nd Hands-on Training Courses for Agricultural Statisticians, the Final Workshop, and the 2nd Seminar for Executive Officials under the JAIF Project entitled “Improvement of Rice Paddy Area Statistics and Damage Assessment using Earth Observation Satellites for ASEAN” in Sriracha, Chonburi Province, and Bangkok, Thailand.
