Typhoon Kalmaegi Devastates Central Philippines — Strengthens to Category‑4 as It Heads for Vietnam

Deadly storm flattens communities in the Philippines and now threatens Vietnam

Typhoon Kalmaegi has left a trail of death and destruction after striking the central Philippines, flattening neighbourhoods and displacing tens of thousands of people. Authorities say the storm was the country's deadliest this year, with at least 114 people confirmed killed and many more missing — the majority in Cebu province, a popular tourist area.

As floodwaters recede, survivors are beginning the massive task of salvaging belongings and digging through thick mud and wreckage where homes once stood. Drone and ground footage show streets turned into rivers, submerged houses, overturned cars and entire communities buried under mud and debris.

How the disaster unfolded

Kalmaegi — known locally as Tino — made landfall in the Philippines as the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane but moved slowly, dumping extreme rainfall over densely populated towns and cities. Some areas recorded between 150 and 250 mm (6 to 10 inches) of rain in 24 hours, more than a typical month's worth for November.

“We don’t have any home anymore. We weren’t able to salvage anything from our house,”

Mely Saberon, 52, of Talisay told Reuters. “We didn’t expect the surge of rain and wind. We’ve experienced many typhoons, but this one was different. Our homes were gone.”

Officials reported most fatalities resulted from drowning as flash floods and swollen rivers overtopped banks. On rugged Cebu, terrain funnels runoff directly into communities with inadequate drainage, amplifying the impact of the storm.

Warnings, response and underlying issues

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national calamity and pledged continued relief and response operations. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator for the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, urged a review of early-warning systems and called for improved drainage and resilient infrastructure.

The storm's impacts were worsened by clogged waterways, chronic flood vulnerability and a domestic corruption scandal involving flood-control projects — accusations that funds intended for drainage projects were siphoned off, undermining preparedness.

Threat to Vietnam and a second storm

Kalmaegi has intensified over the South China Sea to an equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane with reported winds near 215 kph (130 mph), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). It is forecast to make landfall on Vietnam’s central coast, where authorities have planned large-scale evacuations — Reuters reported around 350,000 people expected to be moved in Gia Lai province alone.

The typhoon arrives as central Vietnam was still recovering from recent floods that killed at least 13 people, inundated more than 116,000 houses and damaged about 5,000 hectares of crops. Historic sites such as the UNESCO-listed town of Hoi An were submerged after record rainfall.

Behind Kalmaegi, tropical storm Fung-Wong (locally Uwan) is forecast to intensify and could reach a dangerous Category 3 or 4 equivalent over the coming days, threatening northern Luzon in the Philippines.

Climate context

Meteorologists and climate experts note that the western Pacific is the planet’s most active tropical basin, and ocean temperatures have been at record highs for several consecutive years. Warmer seas provide more energy for storms to strengthen, and warmer air holds more moisture, producing heavier rainfall — a factor that helped make Kalmaegi so deadly.

Recent seismic activity

The typhoon struck just over a month after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu, which killed at least 74 people and displaced thousands, compounding recovery challenges for communities already under stress.

What to watch

• Ongoing search-and-rescue and relief operations across Cebu and neighbouring provinces.
• Kalmaegi’s path and intensity as it approaches central Vietnam, plus evacuation progress in vulnerable provinces.
• Development and track of Fung-Wong/Uwan, which could bring additional heavy rain to northern Philippines.

Reporting contributions: Reuters and CNN. Local casualty and damage figures come from government agencies and news reports; these numbers may be revised as recovery operations continue.