CEBU, PHILIPPINES — Typhoon Kalmaegi (international name: Tino) has unleashed severe flooding and destruction across the central Philippines, especially in the province of Cebu. The death toll has reached at least 66, with around 26 people reported missing, according to the national disaster agency.
The powerful storm, which blew away from western Palawan province on Wednesday morning, brought sustained winds of up to 130 kph (81 mph) and torrential rains that deluged regions that were already reeling from a recent deadly earthquake.
Cebu Devastation and Recovery
Cebu, a major tourist and commercial hub, bore the brunt of the storm on Tuesday. The resulting flash floods caused waterways, including the Mananga River, to swell, trapping residents on their roofs and sweeping away scores of cars and debris.
"We worked and saved for this for years, then in an instant, it was all gone," said Eilene Oken, 38, a resident of Talisay City, as she surveyed the complete destruction of her home.
Most of the confirmed fatalities, including 15 in Compostela, 8 in Danao, 9 in Mandaue, 7 in Talisay, and 9 in Cebu City, were reported in Cebu province. Victims primarily drowned or were hit by debris, according to Cebu Provincial Information Officer Ainjeliz Dela Torre-Orong.
The area around Cebu City was deluged with 183 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours before the typhoon's landfall, well over its 131-millimeter monthly average.
With over 1,000 barangays affected across multiple regions, Cebu province has declared a state of calamity to expedite the disbursement of emergency funds.
The Philippine Red Cross received numerous calls for roof-top rescues, which were temporarily delayed until floodwaters subsided to ensure the safety of emergency personnel.
"The water rose so fast," said Don del Rosario, a 28-year-old resident of Cebu City who sought refuge on an upper floor, calling it "by far the worst we've experienced."
In other provinces, deaths included an elderly villager who drowned in Southern Leyte and a person hit by a fallen tree in Bohol.
Humanitarian Mission Tragedy
Among the 66 fatalities were six military personnel killed in a separate incident when a Philippine Air Force Super Huey helicopter crashed in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, on the island of Mindanao. The helicopter was en route to the coastal city of Butuan "in support of relief operations" for the powerful storm. Military officials did not immediately provide details on the cause of the crash.
Preemptive Evacuation and Ongoing Relief
Ahead of the typhoon, officials had warned of torrential rains, potentially destructive winds, and storm surges up to three meters high. Over 387,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated to safer ground, including hundreds of residents in northern Cebu who were displaced by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in late September.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has issued a public appeal for aid, requesting heavy equipment, volunteer drivers, and donations of food, water, hygiene kits, and blankets to assist flood-hit residents and clear impassable roads.
The national government is actively mobilizing uniformed services, including the Armed Forces, PNP, and Coast Guard, to provide crucial manpower for search-and-rescue, debris clearing, and distributing relief goods. Disaster officials caution that another weather system is being monitored and could enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility within days.
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