**Philippine President Declares State of Emergency After Typhoon Kalmaegi Kills Over 100**

*MANILA, Philippines* — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency on Thursday following the devastating impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left at least 114 people dead and more than 100 missing in the central provinces. This marks the deadliest natural disaster to strike the country this year.

The majority of the deaths were caused by drowning in flash floods. Currently, 127 people remain missing, many of whom are from the hardest-hit central province of Cebu. The tropical cyclone exited the Philippine archipelago on Wednesday and moved into the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, authorities in Vietnam are bracing for Kalmaegi’s approach. The country’s financial hub, Ho Chi Minh City, faces a heightened risk of severe flooding as high tides coincide with heavy rainfall forecasts linked to the typhoon. Forecasters warn that high tides on the Saigon River, combined with up to 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain, could inundate low-lying areas.

In the Philippines, nearly 2 million people have been affected by the typhoon, with over 560,000 villagers displaced. Of those, nearly 450,000 were evacuated to emergency shelters, according to the Office of Civil Defense.

President Marcos’s declaration of a “state of national calamity” during a meeting with disaster-response officials aims to expedite the disbursement of emergency funds and curb food hoarding and price gouging.

As the country copes with the devastation caused by Kalmaegi in its central region, disaster-response officials have issued warnings about another tropical cyclone approaching from the Pacific. This new system could intensify into a super typhoon and impact northern Philippines early next week.

Marcos highlighted that the combined impact of Kalmaegi and the incoming typhoon would affect about two-thirds of the archipelago. He emphasized that the state of national calamity declaration would enhance the government’s capacity to deliver an effective emergency response.

Among the fatalities attributed to Kalmaegi were six individuals killed in a Philippine Air Force helicopter crash in the southern province of Agusan del Sur on Tuesday. The crew was en route to provide humanitarian assistance to typhoon-battered provinces. The cause of the crash has not been disclosed.

Meteorologists reported that Kalmaegi dumped approximately one-and-a-half months’ worth of rainfall in just one day in metropolitan Cebu. This intense rainfall triggered flash floods and caused rivers and waterways in Cebu City and surrounding towns to swell.

Floodwaters engulfed residential neighborhoods, forcing residents to climb onto their roofs and urgently plead for rescue as waters rose rapidly. Scenes of submerged or swept-away vehicles in Cebu’s residential enclaves shocked many and were captured on cameras by stranded residents.

In Cebu alone, at least 71 people died, mostly by drowning. Another 65 were reported missing and 69 injured, according to the Office of Civil Defense. Nearby Negros Occidental province reported 62 missing persons.

“We did everything we can for the typhoon but, you know, there are really some unexpected things like flash floods,” Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro told The Associated Press by phone. She noted that years of quarrying activities leading to clogged rivers, combined with substandard flood control projects, may have worsened the situation in the province.

The issue of substandard or non-existent flood control infrastructure has sparked public outrage and protests in recent months across the Philippines due to corruption scandals.

Cebu was still recovering from a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30 that killed at least 79 people and displaced thousands after homes collapsed or were heavily damaged.

The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and storms annually. It is also frequently affected by earthquakes and is home to more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/06/g-s1-96736/deadly-typhoon-kalmaegi