Typhoon 'Kalmaegi' Strikes Central Philippines: 26 Dead, 400,000 Displaced

Cebu Province Devastated, Air Force Helicopter Crashes
Warning Issued: "Storm Surges Up to 3 Meters"

Typhoon Kalmaegi, known as 'Tino' in the Philippines, struck central Philippines on November 4 (local time), leaving at least 26 people dead and displacing approximately 400,000 people. As heavy rain and strong winds continued, major provinces in the Visayas region, including Cebu and Bohol, were devastated, and ongoing restoration efforts have been hampered by persistent strong winds.

According to the Philippine Office of Civil Defense on November 4, Kalmaegi made landfall in the Cebu area with sustained winds of 130 km/h and gusts reaching up to 180 km/h, causing massive damage to homes, roads, and communication networks.

In Cebu City, 183 mm of heavy rain fell in a single day, and 21 people in Cebu Province drowned or were buried in landslides. In neighboring Bohol Province, one person was killed after being crushed by a fallen tree due to strong winds.

An official from the civil defense authorities stated, "Most of the confirmed fatalities so far are residents who drowned," and added, "Dozens of villages have been flooded and isolated, so the scale of the damage could increase further."

Cebu resident Don Del Rosario (28) told AFP, "The water rose so rapidly that by around 4 a.m., it was already impossible to leave the house," adding, "I've lived in this area for 28 years, but this downpour was by far the worst."

A rescue helicopter crash also occurred. A Philippine Air Force Super Huey helicopter, which was dispatched to support typhoon recovery efforts, crashed in Agusan del Sur, Mindanao in the south, killing at least five people. The Philippine military is investigating the exact number of casualties and the cause of the accident.

Disaster authorities issued storm surge warnings to residents of coastal and low-lying areas. The Philippine weather agency warned that storm surges of up to 3 meters could occur in coastal and low-lying areas within the next 24 hours, urging immediate evacuation.

So far, about 387,000 people have evacuated, and more than 300 flights have been canceled. Ports in the Cebu and Bohol regions have also been closed, delaying the delivery of relief supplies.

Kalmaegi is the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, and landslides and power outages caused by heavy rain continue to occur. The Philippine weather agency forecast that the typhoon is highly likely to pass through the South China Sea on November 5 and move toward central Vietnam.