Rescuers carry a resident past cars washed away by floods at the height of typhoon Tino at a subdivision of Cebu City on November 4, 2025. Alan Tangcawan, AFP
MANILA — At least 66 people were reportedly killed and hundreds of thousands displaced as rains driven by typhoon Tino flooded swaths of the central Philippines, the Office of Civil Defense said Wednesday.
Out of the total, Cebu accounted for 49 fatalities, while the other deaths were logged in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Negros Island Region, Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Administration Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said.
He said Tino left 26 others missing.
The typhoon has affected some 706,000 people, of whom around 348,000 took shelter in evacuation centers, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a separate report.
It said at least 53 cities and towns have declared a state of calamity that would allow local governments to tap emergency funds and impose a price freeze on basic necessities.
Tino had dumped more than a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours in Southern Leyte and Cebu, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.
Entire towns on the island of Cebu have been inundated, while cars, trucks and even massive shipping containers were swept along by muddy floodwaters.
PH ranks first in 2025 World Risk Index on vulnerability to flooding
“Based on initial assessment, parang Region 7 po ang hardest hit, Cebu, central Cebu,” Alejandro told radio outlet DZMM.
“Although as we speak, hindi pa po nakalabas ang bagyo, andoon pa siya sa Palawan, Malakas pa rin daw ang hangin doon. And we are continuously monitoring,” he added.
The official said clearing operations were ongoing in 10 road networks that were closed due to debris, including four in Cebu.
“This will delay some of our resources, mga relief. Pero ginagawan natin ng paraan,” Alejandro said.
“We are mobilizing our units in the ground, mga trucks, and even our helicopters kung kailangan. We are just waiting for improved weather conditions para magamit po natin itong mga eroplano natin to bring relief items sa mga hard to reach areas,” he added.
Don del Rosario, 28, was among those in Cebu City who sought refuge on an upper floor as the storm raged.
"The water rose so fast," he said. "By 4:00 am, it was already uncontrollable -- people couldn't get out (of their houses)."
"I've been here for 28 years, and this is by far the worst we've experienced."
Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful due to human-driven climate change. Warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen rapidly, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, meaning heavier rainfall.
Floods strand people on roofs as Tino pounds Philippines
MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASH
On Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine military confirmed that a helicopter, one of four deployed to assist typhoon relief efforts, had crashed on northern Mindanao island.
The Super Huey helicopter went down while en route to the coastal city of Butuan "in support of relief operations" related to the powerful storm, Eastern Mindanao Command said in a statement, adding search and recovery operations were underway.
Hours later, air force spokeswoman Colonel Maria Christina Basco said the remains of six people had been recovered by troops.
"We're waiting to confirm the identities via forensics in order to ascertain their identities," she told reporters, saying two pilots and four crew members were on board.
At 8 a.m. Wednesday, Tino has reached the West Philippine Sea after making its eighth landfall in El Nido, Palawan.
It will leave the Philippine area of responsibility late Wednesday or early Thursday.