Typhoon Kalmaegi has unleashed catastrophic flooding across the central Philippines, killing at least five people and displacing hundreds of thousands, as it now bears down on Vietnam, a nation already struggling with its deadliest monsoon season in years.
The storm battered the Visayas islands, with Cebu experiencing unprecedented flash floods that submerged the entire city. Local officials described the water’s destructive force as unexpected and overwhelming.
“The situation in Cebu is unprecedented,” said Pamela Barikwatro, Governor of Cebu Province, in a social media statement. “We expected wind to be the dangerous part, but water is what truly puts our people at risk. This flood has caused immense damage.”
Disaster officials confirmed five deaths in the Philippines. Two children were found in Cebu City. An elderly person drowned on the upper floor of a house in Leyte province, and a man died after a tree fell on him in Bohol island.
Over 400,000 people were ordered to evacuate ahead of the typhoon’s arrival, including residents in temporary shelters following a major earthquake in late September. Cebu city and its surroundings received 183 millimeters of rain in 24 hours before the typhoon made landfall, exceeding the monthly average by 131 millimeters.
As Kalmaegi exits the Philippines and moves into the South China Sea, Vietnamese authorities are preparing for its expected landfall. The typhoon is forecast to hit Vietnam’s central coast on Thursday night with wind speeds up to 166 kilometers per hour.
Central Vietnam has already endured record heavy rains and widespread flooding over the past week, resulting in 40 deaths and six people missing. Nearly 80,000 homes in the region remain submerged.
Vietnam typically experiences about 10 typhoons annually. Typhoon Kalmaegi is projected to be the 13th typhoon of 2025 to impact the country, highlighting an unusually active storm season.
The Philippine meteorological agency has warned the nation to brace for an additional three to five typhoons before the end of December. This forecast points to another year marked by severe natural disasters for the archipelago.