According to the reports on Tuesday (04 November), Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, struck the central Philippines with fierce winds and torrential rains, leaving four people dead and thousands displaced. The storm caused widespread flooding, submerging homes and roads in several provinces, particularly in Cebu and Bohol. Disaster officials reported that rescue teams were deployed across affected areas as residents were forced to evacuate to safer ground. Many were caught off guard by the extent of the flooding, which came swiftly after the typhoon made landfall.
The Philippine Red Cross shared images of rescue workers navigating knee-deep floodwaters and using boats to reach stranded residents. In Cebu City and surrounding towns like Liloan, floodwaters rose so high that only rooftops and upper floors of homes were visible. The national disaster agency confirmed that tens of thousands of people were moved to evacuation centers across the Visayas region and parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao. Authorities also canceled over 180 flights and urged fishermen and ship operators to stay in port due to dangerous sea conditions.
The state weather bureau, PAGASA, warned of possible storm surges reaching up to three meters in height, posing severe threats to coastal communities. Kalmaegi’s combination with a shear line intensified rainfall and wind strength across the central Philippines, worsening the flooding situation. Despite weakening after landfall, the typhoon maintained maximum winds of 130 kph and gusts up to 180 kph as it moved toward the South China Sea. The government remained on high alert, coordinating ongoing rescue and relief operations.
Meanwhile, Vietnam prepared for the storm’s arrival as Kalmaegi continued its path across the sea. The Vietnamese government warned residents to brace for a “very strong typhoon,” noting that its central regions had already been devastated by recent floods that killed dozens. Authorities mobilized emergency services and began precautionary evacuations to minimize potential losses. Kalmaegi’s impact underscored the Philippines’ vulnerability to tropical cyclones, as the nation faces an average of 20 storms annually, many of them increasingly destructive due to changing weather patterns.
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Typhoon Kalmaegi unleashes deadly floods across Philippines forcing mass evacuations
