In Cebu, residents evacuated to rooftops and cars drifted along flooded roads.
Typhoon Karmaegi has hit the central Philippines, killing at least 26 people, according to the country’s Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate after Karmaegi made landfall shortly before midnight on Monday, with residents taking shelter on rooftops and cars adrift on flooded roads.
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The powerful storm moved across the Visayas and also hit parts of two other islands: Luzon and Mindanao.
By noon local time on Tuesday (04:00 GMT), Karmaegui had moved west across Cebu, Negros and Panay islands with winds of 150 km/h (93 mph) and gusts of 185 km/h, knocking down trees and toppling power lines.
“Based on the information we have,” most of the victims “died due to drowning,” OCD deputy chief Rafaelito Alejandro told AFP news agency.
He added that Cebu province alone has recorded 21 deaths and several towns have been flooded.
A video released by DZRH Radio’s Facebook page showed houses in Talisay City, Cebu completely submerged in water, with only the roofs visible.
Similar scenes of submerged vehicles and roads in other parts of Cebu City were shared on social media. The video showed people crying for help.
A road in Tabuelan town, also in Cebu province, has become impassable due to a landslide.
Radio station DYMA reported that one person died after being pinned down by a fallen tree in Bohol.
Attention: Several people called for help in Barangay Damlog, Talisay City, Cebu on Tuesday morning.
“We can’t go through the roof,” uploader Godfrey Senecio said.
Cebu Governor Pam Balicuatro is currently on her way to Talisay to assess the situation.
“It’s because of the floods… pic.twitter.com/KLX2Oz5v4n
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 4, 2025
According to radio station DZMM, an elderly man drowned after being trapped in his home on Leyte Island.
The state weather bureau, PAGASA, announced that the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line brought heavy rains and strong winds to the Visayas and nearby areas.
“Due to its interaction with the terrain, Tino may weaken slightly as it passes through the Visayas. However, it is expected to remain as strong as a typhoon while passing through the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.
More than 160 flights to and from the affected areas were canceled and those at sea were advised to immediately proceed to the nearest safe port and remain in port.
PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach heights of more than 3 meters (10 feet) along coastal and low-lying communities in central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao.
A military helicopter sent to assist in rescue efforts crashed in northern Mindanao while en route to the coastal city of Butuan, the Eastern Mindanao Command said in a statement, adding that search and recovery operations were underway.
On Monday, the country’s OCD reported that around 156,000 people had been preemptively evacuated.
Karmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a series of disasters in recent months, including earthquakes and severe weather.
In September, super typhoon Lagasa hit northern Luzon, bringing fierce winds and heavy rains, killing at least 10 people and forcing government jobs and classes to close.
Charmagne Varilla, an expert at the state’s weather bureau, told AFP that at least “three to five more storms” were expected by the end of December.
Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful due to human-induced climate change.
