Philippines Declares State of Emergency as Typhoon Kalmaegi Claims 144 Lives, Hundreds Missing

At least 114 dead and hundreds are still missing after Typhoon Kalmaegi, one of the strongest typhoons of 2025, struck the Philippines, leading to flash floods. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared a state of emergency. Towns in Cebu, which is the most populated region, reported 71 deaths after the storm flooded the entire region, as per the BBC.

The provincial authorities in Cebu said 28 more people lost their lives in the storm, which were not included in the tally released by the national civil defence office, according to news agency AFP. President Kalmaegi left the Philippines on Thursday morning and is moving toward central Vietnam, where residents are still reeling from floods that killed dozens.

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The President said that Typhoon Kalmaegi and Storm Uwan are set to strike the country over the weekend. "Almost 10 regions, around 10 to 12 regions, will be affected. So if that many areas are involved, with that kind of scope, then it's a national calamity," he told local media.

🇵🇭 At least 66 people have been killed and 26 remain missing in the Philippines after Typhoon Kalmaegi

Among the dead were six soldiers who died when a military helicopter crashed while surveying areas devastated by the storm. The rest were killed by floods, falling trees, and… pic.twitter.com/Ju5Dvmrr7U

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 5, 2025

After Typhoon Kalmaegi struck the Philippines, the government declared a state of emergency involving mass casualties, major damage to property, and disruption to means of livelihoods and the normal way of life for people in the affected areas.

Most of the deaths in the Philippines were reported due to drowning, the BBC said. The storm brings muddy hill water down hillsides and into towns and cities. According to the national disaster agency, more than 400,000 people were displaced due to tthe yphoon in Cebu, which is home to 2.5 million people.