The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines climbed to 66 on Wednesday as residents of hardest-hit Cebu province began picking through homes and businesses devastated by the worst flooding in recent memory. 

Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally in the Philippines as Typhoon Tino, is an active tropical cyclone that has brought catastrophic destruction to the Philippines, particularly affecting the island of Palawan. As the twenty-fifth named storm and the twelfth typhoon of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, Kalmaegi has proven to be one of the deadliest storms to strike the archipelago this year. The typhoon made an unprecedented seven landfalls across the Philippines between November 4 and 5. The first landfall occurred over Silago on November 4, when the storm had intensified to a category 2-equivalent typhoon. The storm then proceeded to make three more landfalls in rapid succession on the same day, striking Borbon in Cebu, Sagay in Negros Occidental, and San Lorenzo in Guimaras. The fifth landfall came over Iloilo City, followed by a sixth at Magsaysay in the Cuyo Archipelago of Palawan. On November 5, Kalmaegi made its seventh and most recent landfall over El Nido, Palawan, where it continues to affect the region with sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 165 kilometers per hour.

Typhoon Kalmaegi originated from an area of convection that developed on October 30, located approximately 313 nautical miles east-southeast of Yap. Satellite imagery at the time showed cycling deep convection over a poorly organized low-level circulation center. The disturbance was embedded in a favorable environment for tropical cyclogenesis, characterized by low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures. The following day, on October 31, the Japan Meteorological Agency classified the system as a tropical depression as its low-level circulation center slowly consolidated. The rapid intensification was made possible by the combination of low wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures, strong poleward outflow, and enhancement from trade winds, creating optimal conditions for the storm to strengthen quickly as it approached the Philippines.

Cebu province bore the brunt of Typhoon Kalmaegi's fury, accounting for 49 of the 66 confirmed deaths, with civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro confirming that it was the major cities and highly urbanized areas that suffered the most severe flooding. The floodwaters were described as unprecedented by both officials and residents, rushing through towns and cities with terrifying force and sweeping away cars, trucks, and even massive shipping containers. In the 24 hours before Kalmaegi's landfall, the area around Cebu City was deluged with 183 millimeters of rain, well over the area's 131-millimeter monthly average. The city of Compostela suffered the highest death toll with 15 fatalities, while Cebu City and Mandaue each reported nine deaths. Danao recorded eight deaths and Talisay seven. In Cebu City alone, 28 people remained missing after the Butuanon River swelled dramatically and caused catastrophic flooding. Mayor Nestor Archival estimated that around 200,000 houses were damaged or inundated throughout the city. Half of barangay Bacayan was flooded, with many residents reporting that it was the first such incident in the area in 35 years, underscoring the truly exceptional nature of this flooding event.

Beyond Cebu, the typhoon's impact was felt across multiple regions of the Philippines, with the Office of Civil Defense reporting that nearly 340,000 individuals were affected. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council documented the scope of the disaster, with 133,554 people affected in Western Visayas, 29,160 in Eastern Visayas, 11,140 in Central Visayas, 11,100 in Caraga, 2,144 in Mimaropa, and 428 in the Negros Island Region. Additional fatalities were reported outside of Cebu, including one death in Panglao, Bohol, an elderly villager who drowned in floodwaters in Southern Leyte, two deaths in separate storm-related incidents in Capiz and Antique, and one person who died after a boat capsized in Maguindanao del Sur. The major causes of death were drowning and being struck by falling trees. Transportation systems across the archipelago were severely disrupted. At least 138 flights were cancelled, affecting approximately 16,000 passengers. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that 4,704 people, 1,649 rolling cargoes, and 1,643 maritime vessels were stranded or seeking shelter in 104 ports throughout the country. Two ships collided with each other in the port of Jolo, Sulu, adding to the maritime chaos. Critical infrastructure suffered extensive damage, with the entire service area of Negros Power in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod, losing electricity and affecting 250,000 customers. Power outages were also reported in Dinagat Islands, Southern Leyte where a province-wide outage occurred, seven municipalities in Antique, and two towns in Surigao del Norte.

Philippine authorities mounted a massive preparation and response effort in anticipation of and following Typhoon Kalmaegi's landfall. PAGASA issued Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, the second-highest alert level indicating winds of 73 to 114 miles per hour within 12 hours, for numerous areas including the Dinagat, Siargao, and Bucas Grande Islands, as well as portions of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, the Camotes Islands, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Antique. Nearly 400,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated from the typhoon's path, with forced evacuations conducted in some areas such as Guiuan. Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey Jr. reported that between 10,000 and 15,000 people were evacuated in his province alone. Cebu archbishop Alberto Uy ordered all churches in the Archdiocese of Cebu to be used as shelters for displaced residents. The Department of Social Welfare and Development prepared thousands of food packs and placed specialized equipment on standby. All sea travel in Surigao del Norte and nearby routes was suspended due to dangerous conditions. President Bongbong Marcos directed government agencies to accelerate recovery efforts for affected areas, instructing his cabinet members to personally visit the devastated regions.

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