At least five people have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced as Typhoon Kalmaegi unleashed torrential rains and severe flooding across the central Philippines on Tuesday.
Entire towns on Cebu Island are underwater, with shocking visuals showing cars, trucks, and even large shipping containers swept away by powerful, muddy floodwaters. In the 24 hours before Kalmaegi made landfall, Cebu City and surrounding areas recorded 183 millimeters (seven inches) of rain—far surpassing the monthly average of 131 millimeters, according to state weather specialist Charmagne Varilla from PAGASA.
Provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro described the situation as “unprecedented,” stating, “We were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, but the water is what’s truly putting our people at risk. The floodwaters are just devastating.”
Rising Death Toll and Widespread Devastation
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Two children were found dead in Cebu City, where rescuers continued battling rising waters to reach trapped residents.
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Other fatalities included an elderly person who drowned in Leyte and a man killed by a falling tree in Bohol.
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Residents like 28-year-old Don del Rosario said the water rose so quickly that “by 4:00 a.m., it was already uncontrollable—people couldn’t get out of their houses… this is by far the worst we’ve experienced.”
Nearly 400,000 people were evacuated ahead of the storm, according to Rafaelito Alejandro from the Office of Civil Defense. This included hundreds still living in tents after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the region in late September.
Storm’s Current Path and Ongoing Threat
As of 2:00 p.m. Tuesday (0600 GMT), Typhoon Kalmaegi was moving west across the Visayan Islands with sustained winds of 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts reaching 180 kph. Strong winds have toppled trees, caused landslides, and downed power lines, plunging many communities into darkness.
Kalmaegi is the 20th storm to hit the Philippines this year, matching the country’s annual average—yet forecasters warn that three to five more may form before year-end.
Climate Change Intensifying Storms
Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is fueling more powerful storms. Warmer ocean temperatures help typhoons intensify rapidly, while a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall and catastrophic flooding.
Fear, Resilience, and More Storms Ahead
In Dinagat Islands—Kalmaegi’s initial landfall point—residents endured terrifying conditions as winds battered their homes. “The electricity went out about an hour ago, and we cannot see anything,” said 34-year-old single mother Miriam Vargas, who sheltered in the dark with her children, praying for safety.
The Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, faced two major storms in September alone, including Super Typhoon Ragasa, which killed 14 people in Taiwan.
With more storms expected and communities still reeling, rescue efforts and humanitarian support are urgently needed to help those affected by Typhoon Kalmaegi.
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