Typhoon Kalmaegi has battered the central Philippines, killing at least 26 people, according to the country’s Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Hundreds of thousands have been displaced, with residents seeking refuge on rooftops and cars floating through flooded streets, after Kalmaegi made landfall shortly before midnight on Monday.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 items- list 1 of 3Five dead, two missing as Tropical Storm Fengshen soaks Philippines
- list 2 of 3Video: Fire destroys over 1,500 homes in Philippines
- list 3 of 3Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Kalmaegi approaches the Philippines
The powerful storm has cut across the Visayas island group, as well as parts of the other two island groups: Luzon and Mindanao.
By noon local time (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday, Kalmaegi was moving westwards across the islands of Cebu, Negros and Panay with winds of 150km/h (93mph) and gusts of 185km/h, toppling trees and downing power lines.
OCD Deputy Administrator Rafaelito Alejandro told the AFP news agency that “based on information that we have”, most of the victims “died from drowning”.
Cebu province alone recorded 21 deaths, where multiple towns have been inundated, he added.
A video published by DZRH radio’s Facebook page showed homes in Talisay City in Cebu completely submerged, with only rooftops visible.
Similar scenes in other parts of Cebu City, where vehicles and streets were underwater, circulated on social media. In some of the videos, people were heard pleading to be rescued.
A road in the town of Tabuelan, also in Cebu province, was rendered impassable following a landslide.
On the island of Bohol, one person was reported killed after he was pinned down by a fallen tree, according to radio station DYMA.
WATCH: Several individuals called for help at Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City, Cebu on Tuesday morning.
“We cannot cross the roofs,” said uploader Godfrey Senecio.
Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro is now on her way to Talisay to assess the situation.
“It’s the flooding that placed… pic.twitter.com/KLX2Oz5v4n
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 4, 2025
An elderly person drowned after being trapped in his residence on the island of Leyte, according to radio station DZMM.
State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rain and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.
“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.
More than 160 flights to and from affected areas have been cancelled, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbour immediately and to stay in port.
PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3-metre (10-foot) height along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao.
A military helicopter deployed to assist relief efforts crashed in northern Mindanao while en route to the coastal city of Butuan, Eastern Mindanao Command said in a statement, adding that search and recovery operations were under way.
On Monday, the country’s OCD reported that some 156,000 individuals had been preemptively evacuated.
Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather events, in recent months.
In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, killing at least 10 people and forcing government work and classes to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.
State weather service specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP that at least “three to five more” storms were expected by December’s end.
Scientists warn that storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful due to human-driven climate change.