The Philippines has been thrown into mourning after Typhoon Kalmaegi unleashed massive floods and destruction across Cebu and neighbouring provinces, killing at least 140 people and leaving over 120 others missing.
According to official figures released Thursday, the storm is the deadliest of 2025 so far, surpassing previous records set by Typhoon Trami last year. Walls of water swept through towns and cities in central Philippines, submerging homes, flipping cars, and even carrying away massive shipping containers.
Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes. In the town of Liloan, near Cebu City, 35 bodies have been recovered as residents continue digging through thick mud and debris. “We tried to save my disabled sister but couldn’t open her door before the flood swallowed the house,” said a survivor, Christine Aton, through tears. Others recounted how families escaped to rooftops as floodwaters rose rapidly in the middle of the night.
President Ferdinand Marcos has declared a state of national calamity, authorising the immediate release of emergency funds and imposing price controls on essential goods.
Meteorologists described the rainfall as “once-in-20-years” in magnitude, with some parts of Cebu receiving more than 1.5 times the average monthly rainfall in just a few days. Scientists have linked the storm’s intensity to climate change, noting that warmer ocean temperatures are fueling stronger and wetter typhoons.
Meanwhile, concern is growing across the region as Kalmaegi continues moving westward toward Vietnam, where it is expected to make landfall late Thursday. Vietnamese authorities have already evacuated thousands from coastal areas and warned of waves reaching up to eight metres high.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha called the storm “urgent and dangerous,” urging swift action to prevent further tragedy.
The Philippines typically experiences around 20 typhoons annually, but Kalmaegi marks the 20th of 2025—with several more expected before the year ends. Another storm, named Fung-wong, is already forming east of the country and could reach super typhoon status by Monday.
For many Filipinos, the focus remains on survival and recovery. Streets that were rivers just a day ago are now filled with mud and wreckage. “Nothing like this has ever happened,” said shop owner Reynaldo Vergara in Mandaue. “The water was raging. We lost everything.”
As rescue teams continue their search and communities begin the long process of rebuilding, Kalmaegi stands as a grim reminder of how climate change continues to magnify the force of natural disasters across the globe.
