Typhoon Kalmaegi Batters Philippines; Evacuations Surge

Typhoon Kalmaegi (locally Tino) made landfall in the central Philippines late Monday/early Tuesday, first hitting the Dinagat Islands and Southern Leyte, and hammered the Visayas with sustained winds of about 140–150 km/h and gusts up to roughly 195–205 km/h as it moved west toward the South China Sea. The storm brought torrential rain, life‑threatening storm surges (PAGASA warned of surges up to about 3 meters), flash floods and landslides that submerged streets and vehicles, knocked out power and forced residents onto rooftops in areas still recovering from a recent earthquake. At least two people have died, authorities ordered large evacuations with reports of people displaced or sheltering ranging from roughly 75,000 up to about 387,000, and flights and sea travel were suspended while rescue teams worked to reach people stranded on upper floors. Vietnam was warned to brace for renewed heavy rain and rising river levels after recent record downpours, raising regional flood risks. Officials said Kalmaegi could remain at typhoon strength or intensify as it crosses the islands, and noted that warmer oceans linked to climate change can amplify storm intensity.