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Typhoon Kalmaegi Floods Central Philippines, With Officials Reporting At Least 26 Dead and 400,000 Displaced

Local authorities describe unprecedented flooding in Cebu as the storm heads toward the South China Sea.

Overview

  • Philippine civil defense official Rafaelito Alejandro gave a provisional tally of 26 deaths, including 21 in Cebu, and nearly 400,000 people displaced.
  • Kalmaegi made landfall overnight near Silago in Eastern Visayas before racing west across the islands, bringing sustained winds near 150 km/h and gusts up to 205 km/h, according to PAGASA.
  • Cebu saw fast-rising waters that stranded residents on rooftops and submerged vehicles, with 183 millimeters of rain recorded in 24 hours, local officials and meteorologists said.
  • Pre-emptive evacuations exceeded 150,000 people before landfall, and authorities warned of storm surge up to three meters along vulnerable coasts.
  • Inter-island ferries and fishing boats were halted, stranding more than 3,500 people in ports, while at least 186 domestic flights were canceled as carriers including Cebu Pacific and AirAsia scrubbed services.