Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves 114 Dead, Scores Missing Across Central Philippines

Post by : Raina Nasser

Manila, Philippines — November 6, 2025: The Philippines is confronting severe losses after Typhoon Kalmaegi, which authorities say has resulted in at least 114 fatalities and left 127 people unaccounted for in central provinces, with Cebu among the worst affected. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a national state of emergency to speed up relief operations and release emergency funding.

The cyclone, having passed the archipelago and moved into the South China Sea by Wednesday, impacted close to two million residents and displaced more than 560,000 people. The Office of Civil Defense reports that almost 450,000 evacuees were accommodated in emergency shelters.

Flash floods were responsible for the bulk of the deaths, as swollen rivers and waterways swept through communities in Cebu province. Many residents sought refuge atop rooftops as waters rose. Cebu reported 71 fatalities, 65 missing persons and 69 injured. In Negros Occidental, officials listed 62 people as missing.

Officials said longstanding deficiencies in flood-control infrastructure and river blockages from quarrying aggravated the rapid inundation. The disaster compounds earlier trauma in Cebu, which was still recovering from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30 that killed at least 79 people and displaced many more.

In a tragic secondary incident, six personnel died when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur while on a humanitarian mission to typhoon-affected areas. Investigators have opened inquiries into the cause of the crash.

Transport networks have been severely disrupted nationwide. Rough seas prompted cancellation of 186 domestic flights, while ferries and small craft were ordered to remain in port, leaving over 3,500 passengers and cargo drivers stranded.

Authorities have also flagged a new Pacific cyclone currently forming that could intensify into a super typhoon and threaten the northern Philippines early next week, heightening concerns about disaster readiness and response capacity.

The Philippines typically faces about 20 tropical storms and typhoons annually and remains highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The government’s expedited emergency measures aim to limit further casualties and hasten recovery for communities hit by Kalmaegi.