At Least Three Dead, Thousands Displaced As Typhoon Kalmaegi Batters The Philippines

At least three people have died and nearly 400,000 others have been displaced after Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the central Philippines, unleashing widespread flooding and destruction, according to the country’s disaster management agency.

The storm, locally known as Typhoon Tino, inundated several areas, including large parts of Cebu Island, where entire towns were submerged. Videos circulating online showed residents stranded on rooftops as floodwaters swept away vehicles and shipping containers.

Authorities confirmed that a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter deployed for rescue operations crashed in northern Mindanao. Communication with the aircraft was lost, prompting an immediate search and rescue mission, though details about casualties remain unclear.

While Kalmaegi has weakened since making landfall early Tuesday, it continues to bring fierce winds exceeding 80 mph (130 km/h) as it moves across the Visayas region toward the South China Sea.

“The situation in Cebu is really unprecedented,” said provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro in a Facebook post. “We expected the winds to be the problem, but the flooding has been catastrophic. The water is what’s putting lives at risk.”

Residents like Don del Rosario, 28, recounted the chaos as floodwaters surged through neighborhoods. “I’ve lived here all my life, and this is the worst we’ve seen,” he told AFP.

The Philippines, which experiences around 20 typhoons annually, has faced a string of natural disasters in recent months. Just weeks ago, Super Typhoon Ragasa (Nando) and Typhoon Bualoi (Opong) struck in quick succession, killing more than a dozen people and damaging crops and infrastructure.

Adding to the country’s woes, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the central region on September 30, leaving dozens dead and compounding recovery challenges in Cebu now again devastated by flooding.

Officials say relief operations are ongoing, with emergency shelters set up for displaced residents as authorities brace for potential after-effects of the storm.