MANILA: One person was killed when Typhoon Kalmaegi hit the central Philippines on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as torrential rains, strong winds and storm surges forced tens of thousands to evacuate from their homes.
With sustained winds of 150 kph and gusts of up to 205 kph when it made landfall early on Tuesday, Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, is forecast to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of residents were evacuated across the Visayas region, including parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, and one person had died, the national disaster agency reported.
A video on DZRH radio’s Facebook page showed homes in Talisay City completely submerged, with only rooftops visible. Similar scenes in parts of Cebu City, where vehicles and streets were underwater, circulated on social media.
State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rains and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.
“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.
More than 160 flights to and from affected areas have been canceled, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbor immediately and to stay in port.
PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach over 3 meters high along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao. Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters including earthquakes and severe weather events in recent months. In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, forcing government work and classes to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.
One dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi dumps heavy rains over central Philippines
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One dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi dumps heavy rains over central Philippines
- Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, is forecast to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday
- State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rains and strong winds
35 million Nigerians ‘risk hunger after global funding collapse’
- The UN can only aim to deliver $516 million to provide lifesaving aid to 2.5 million people this year, down from 3.6 million in 2025, which in turn was about half the previous year’s level
ABUJA: Nearly 35 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger this year, including 3 million children facing severe malnutrition, the UN said, following the collapse of global aid budgets.
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 humanitarian plan in Abuja, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohammed Malick Fall said the long-dominant, foreign-led aid model in Nigeria is no longer sustainable and that Nigeria’s needs have grown.
Conditions in the conflict-hit northeast are dire, Fall said, with civilians in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states facing rising violence.
BACKGROUND
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohammed Malick Fall said the foreign-led aid model in Nigeria is no longer sustainable and that the country’s needs have grown.
A surge in terror attacks killed more than 4,000 people in the first eight months of 2025, matching the toll for all of 2023, he said.
The UN can only aim to deliver $516 million to provide lifesaving aid to 2.5 million people this year, down from 3.6 million in 2025, which in turn was about half the previous year’s level.
“These are not statistics. These numbers represent lives, futures, and Nigerians,” Fall said.
He also said the UN had no choice but to focus on “the most lifesaving” interventions given the drop in available funding.
Shortfalls last year led the World Food Programme to also warn that millions could go hungry in Nigeria as its resources ran out in December and it was forced to cut support for more than 300,000 children.
Fall said Nigeria was showing growing national ownership of the crisis response in recent months through measures such as local funding for lean-season food support and early-warning action on flooding.
