Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves At Least Five Dead, Floods, Displaces Thousands in Central Philippines

Typhoon Kalmaegi struck the central Philippines with intense winds and heavy rains, causing significant flooding, power outages, and widespread displacement. At least five people have died, including an elderly man who drowned in floodwaters and a man killed by a falling tree. The typhoon led to dangerous flash floods that trapped residents on rooftops and submerged vehicles in the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol, with tens of thousands evacuated preemptively. The flooding was described as unprecedented in Cebu City, where floodwaters reached levels covering people's heads and swept away cars and shipping containers. Officials warned of life-threatening storm surges and the ongoing threat as the typhoon moved across the Visayas islands and toward Vietnam. The disaster response has been complicated by debris-filled floodwaters and ongoing recovery from recent earthquakes, highlighting the increasing severity of storms linked to climate change.