Typhoon Kalmaegi swept through the Philippines overnight on Monday, killing at least one person and affecting nearly 60,000 residents, officials said on Tuesday.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the storm brought torrential rains, flash floods, and widespread power outages across five regions in the central and southern Philippines.
Local officials confirmed one fatality in Bohol province, where a 52-year-old man died after a tree fell on him during heavy winds. Authorities said they are verifying other possible casualties in Central Visayas.
More than 75,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated as Kalmaegi inundated villages, uprooted trees, and knocked down power lines. In Cebu province, floodwaters reached up to the second floors of homes, while Siargao Island a popular tourist destination was left in total blackout after the storm’s violent winds.
“Over 70,000 people in evacuation centers have been staying since Sunday, ahead of Kalmaegi’s landfall,” said Janis Medina-Regino, provincial information officer for Surigao del Norte.
Nearly 100 domestic flights were canceled, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, as airports suspended operations amid intense rainfall and strong winds.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that Kalmaegi locally known as Tino was moving west-northwest at 25 km/h early Tuesday and could bring “life-threatening” storm surges up to three meters in coastal areas.
Emergency officials urged residents in low-lying and mountainous regions to remain on alert for landslides and flash floods as the typhoon moves toward the South China Sea.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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