At least 26 people died in the Philippines, and hundreds of thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes due to the effects of typhoon Kalmaegi, according to reports from November 4. The majority of fatalities—21 individuals—occurred on Cebu Island, where flooding overwhelmed settlements. “Based on our information, most deaths resulted from drowning,” said civil defense administrator Rafaelito Alejandro, as cited by ABS-CBN News.
The typhoon generated maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h, with gusts reaching 180 km/h, causing power outages and traffic disruptions. In the Dinagat Islands and eastern Visayas archipelago, wind speeds surged to 205 km/h, exacerbating destruction. Over 150,000 people were evacuated on November 3 as authorities warned of torrential rains, 3-meter waves, and potential volcanic mudslides from the Kanlaon volcano, which has been active in recent months.
Despite the crisis, tourist activity remained unaffected in affected regions. Earlier on November 4, two additional deaths were reported due to the storm’s impact.
