• Over 140 fatalities reported as Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaks havoc across the Philippines.
• At least 127 people remain missing, with Central Cebu being the hardest hit region.
• A state of emergency was declared in response to widespread flooding and destruction.
• Kalmaegi is expected to make landfall in Vietnam, raising concerns of additional flooding.
• Authorities face scrutiny over the efficacy of flood control measures amid the disaster.

Typhoon Kalmaegi has led to at least 140 deaths and left another 127 missing after devastating flooding swept across the central Philippines, particularly impacting the province of Cebu, where the storm triggered catastrophic flash floods, submerged homes, and forced residents onto their roofs pleading for rescue. The national civil defense office reported 114 fatalities, while local authorities added an additional 28 deaths on top of that tally, as the storm moved towards Vietnam after exiting the Philippine area of responsibility. The typhoon is noted as the deadliest storm globally for 2025, according to the disaster database EM-DAT, which also reported a cumulative total of over 500,000 displaced individuals from the storm's aftermath, according to Channel News Asia, BBC, Africanews, Reuters, India Times, South China Morning Post, and NPR.

In Cebu province, floodwaters reached unprecedented levels, inundating homes, displacing thousands, and creating scenes of desperation among residents as many pleaded for rescue while stranded on rooftops. The situation worsened significantly after Kalmaegi dumped rainfall amounting to 1.5 times the usual monthly average in one day, causing a rapid rise in water levels that overwhelmed existing flood control measures. This prompted Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro to declare a state of calamity to expedite emergency responses and aid distribution, as residents navigate the aftermath of this disaster amid ongoing recovery from a recent earthquake, as reported by Le Monde, The Jakarta Post, CBS News, and SCMP.

As Kalmaegi progresses towards Vietnam, authorities are preparing for what could be a compounded disaster scenario due to existing flooding in the region exacerbated by the storm, while warnings have been issued in low-lying areas at risk of severe inundation. Vietnamese officials have begun evacuation procedures and are monitoring the situation closely, anticipating that Kalmaegi may deliver additional rainfall and damaging winds similar to those experienced in the Philippines, affecting agricultural activities and local infrastructure, as noted by sources including Channel News Asia and Le Monde.