Typhoon Kalmaegi makes deadly landfall near Silago, Philippines
Up to five fatalities have been reported since Typhoon Kalmaegi’s landfall over the Southern Leyte province in the Philippines on November 4, 2025. Landfall in Vietnam is expected on Thursday, November 6.
Flooding in Talisay city following Typhoon Kalmaegi's landfall over Philippines on November 4, 2025. Image credit: Cebu Province
Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall near Silago in Southern Leyte province at around 00:00 local time (LT) on November 4, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
At landfall, Kalmaegi’s 10-minute sustained winds were around 130 km/h (81 mph) with gusts up to 180 km/h (112 mph) and an estimated minimum central pressure of 970 hPa. International bulletins reported 1-minute sustained winds near 150 km/h (93 mph) with gusts up to 205 km/h (127 mph).
At least five fatalities had been confirmed as of early November 4. Officials said more than 150 000 residents were evacuated ahead of and during Kalmaegi’s landfall, as local governments activated preemptive sheltering measures.
Kalmaegi is the 20th tropical cyclone to make landfall over the Philippines in 2025.
A Philippine Air Force helicopter with five personnel on board crashed on November 4 in the country’s south while flying to aid in recovery operations.
The Super Huey chopper crashed near Loreto town in southern Agusan del Sur province, and efforts were underway to locate the air force personnel aboard who were deployed to help provide humanitarian assistance to provinces affected by the typhoon, the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command said
24-hour rainfall totals in Cebu province reached around 183 mm (7.2 inches), triggering widespread floods. In Cebu City and nearby municipalities, floodwaters submerged vehicles and stranded residents on rooftops as fallen trees and power lines blocked roads.
PAGASA issued Storm Surge Warning No. 9, forecasting life-threatening surge heights exceeding 3 m (9.8 feet) for low-lying coastal areas of the Visayas and northern Mindanao.
PAGASA placed Kalmaegi’s centre over Patnongon, Antique province, at 16:00 LT on November 4, moving northwest at 15 km/h (9 mph). PAGASA forecasted Kalmaegi to retain typhoon strength while crossing the Visayas and to enter the West Philippine Sea by November 6, bringing continued rainfall, gusty winds, and storm surge along its path.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecast at the same time placed Kalmaegi’s 1-minute sustained winds between 157–167 km/h (98–104 mph), with a predicted peak intensity near 175 km/h (109 mph) within 48 hours, and projected a west-northwest track toward the South China Sea.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 remains in effect for parts of Antique, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and central Visayas, indicating expected winds between 118–184 km/h (73–114 mph) within 12 hours. Gale warnings and coastal alerts accompany these signals.
Kalmaegi is expected to move west-northwest across the Visayas archipelago, enter the Sulu Sea, and emerge into the West Philippine Sea between November 6–7. According to PAGASA and the JTWC, it will maintain typhoon strength throughout this period.
Recent model guidance shows diverging track scenarios. NAVGEM interpolated members suggest a more north-westward path toward Da Nang, Vietnam, while interpolated ECMWF solutions shift the track south toward a landfall south of Tuy Hoa.
The multi-model consensus maintains only a slight north-westward motion after the system crosses the northern portion of Palawan, indicating a potential landfall south of Quy Nhon, Vietnam. The JTWC track forecast remains close to this consensus, with medium confidence.
References:
1 Typhoon Kalmaegi (31W) Warning #013 and Prognostic Reasoning – JTWC – November 4, 2025
2 Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 16 (Typhoon Tino – Kalmaegi) – PAGASA – November 4, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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