The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 66, with 49 fatalities in Cebu province and 26 people still missing after "unprecedented" urban floods swept through towns and cities. Cebu recorded 183 mm of rain in 24 hours—well above its monthly average—and nearly 400,000 people were evacuated ahead of the storm. A military Super Huey on relief duty crashed on Mindanao; six bodies were recovered and forensic identification is pending. Scientists warn climate change is making storms stronger and wetter, and more storms are expected this season.
Typhoon Kalmaegi: Death Toll Rises to 66 as Cebu Reels from 'Unprecedented' Floods
The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 66, with 49 fatalities in Cebu province and 26 people still missing after "unprecedented" urban floods swept through towns and cities. Cebu recorded 183 mm of rain in 24 hours—well above its monthly average—and nearly 400,000 people were evacuated ahead of the storm. A military Super Huey on relief duty crashed on Mindanao; six bodies were recovered and forensic identification is pending. Scientists warn climate change is making storms stronger and wetter, and more storms are expected this season.
06:15, 05.11.2025Environment
Typhoon Kalmaegi: Philippines Counts 66 Dead as Cebu Faces Severe Flooding
The official death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 66 on Wednesday as residents in the hardest-hit province of Cebu began clearing homes and businesses devastated by what authorities described as "unprecedented" flooding.
Floodwaters swept through urban areas, carrying away cars, trucks and even large shipping containers. Cebu provincial officials confirmed the province accounted for 49 of the fatalities; 26 people remained missing, civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro told local radio station DZMM.
Scenes of Damage and Recovery
AFP reporters observed residents cleaning streets that the day before had become rivers. "The flood here yesterday was really severe," said Reynaldo Vergara, 53, whose small shop was destroyed. "Around four or five in the morning, the water was so strong that you couldn’t even step outside ... nothing like this has ever happened. The water was raging."
"All the floods have subsided. Our challenge now is the clearing of this debris that is blocking our roads," Alejandro said, stressing the immediate need for clearing and relief operations.
Rainfall, Evacuations and Storm Track
Weather specialist Charmagne Varilla reported that the area around Cebu City received 183 millimetres (7 inches) of rain in the 24 hours before Kalmaegi's landfall—well above the city's 131-millimetre monthly average. Authorities said nearly 400,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated from the storm's path.
As of Wednesday at 8 a.m., Kalmaegi was moving west toward the Palawan islands with sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and gusts up to 165 km/h.
Military Helicopter Crash
The Philippine military confirmed that one of four helicopters deployed for relief efforts, a Super Huey, crashed while en route to Butuan on northern Mindanao. Troops later recovered the remains of six people; officials said forensic work is under way to confirm identities. Two pilots and four crew were reported aboard.
Climate Context and Outlook
Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is increasing the intensity of storms: warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen faster and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, producing heavier rainfall. The Philippines typically faces about 20 storms and typhoons a year; with Kalmaegi the country has already reached that average, and authorities expect another three to five more storms before December ends.
Local officials continue search, recovery and relief operations as communities begin the long process of cleanup and rebuilding.