Typhoon Kalmaegi swept away cars and containers in the Philippines. Unprecedented flooding ensued.

Floodwaters described as unprecedented swept through cities in Cebu province this week, swamping cars, riverside shacks, and huge shipping containers. The nationwide death toll, at least 140 dead and 127 missing, includes six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed during a rescue mission after the typhoon.

Typhoon Kalmaegi, after causing devastating floods in the central Philippines, is now heading toward Vietnam. Kalmaegi is the deadliest typhoon recorded globally so far in 2025, according to the EM-DAT disaster database. The floods it caused, described as unprecedented, have devastated cities and towns. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has declared a state of national disaster, authorizing the government to allocate funds for humanitarian aid and impose price controls on essential goods.

State weather service expert Benison Estareja said the rainfall recorded during Kalmaegi's passage was 1.5 times greater than Cebu's usual November rainfall, a phenomenon he called "once in 20 years." Meanwhile, Kalmaegi's wind speed is increasing as it heads toward neighboring Vietnam, where it is feared it could worsen the damage caused by a week of flooding.