Filipino families — including one with a 3-month-old baby have sought shelter in drainage canals and caves to escape the wrath of Typhoon Tino, internationally known as Typhoon Kalmaegi.
As yet another typhoon batters the Philippines, bringing heavy floods, many residents are resorting to extraordinary measures to stay safe — even if it means finding refuge in unconventional places.
Typhoon Tino is the 20th tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines in 2025, making landfall over Eastern Samar and Dinagat Islands, with winds up to 130 kph and heavy rains that triggered flooding and forced evacuations across Visayas and Mindanao.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised Signal No. 4 in several provinces as authorities warned of life-threatening storm surges and landslides.
In provinces such as Dinagat Islands and Samar, families have taken matters into their own hands, fleeing to caves and drainage canals in a desperate bid for safety.
Dinagat Island Residents Take Shelter In Drainage Canals
As Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) lashed the province of Dinagat Islands, 14 families—including a three-month-old baby—were forced to take refuge inside a drainage canal in Purok 3, Barangay Gomez, to escape the typhoon's powerful winds and heavy rainfall.
Among them was Rudelyn Dayon and her family, who sought safety in the canal at the height of the typhoon's onslaught. Their desperate move underscores the growing vulnerability of coastal communities as Tino unleashed intense rain, fierce winds, and flash floods across the region.
14 FAMILIES INCLUDING 3-MONTH-OLD BABY SEEK SHELTER IN DRAINAGE CANAL AMID TYPHOON TINO’S WRATH ⚠️ In a desperate bid for safety, 14 families have taken refuge inside a drainage canal in Purok 3,...
Authorities have raised a high-level Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) in the area, warning of life-threatening conditions and urging immediate evacuation to safer grounds. Local officials are reportedly coordinating rescue and relocation efforts to move the affected families to designated evacuation centres.
Meanwhile, netizens expressed their concern over the safety of the family. Some worried that floods might come in the canal, but Dayon later confirmed that all families were safe and expressed gratitude for the concern and assistance extended by others.
Samar Residents Take Shelter In Caves
Residents of Marabut, Samar also endured the onslaught of Typhoon Tino, prompting some families to seek refuge in a nearby cave, a long-standing practice in the coastal town whenever severe storms strike.
Around 50 residents had taken shelter in a cave in Barangay Tinabanan, and another 30 evacuees were reported in Barangay Caluwayan as of 1.00pm (local time) Monday, 3 November. This is according to Police Captain Alner Peñeda, Officer-in-Charge of the Marabut Municipal Police Station.
Photos circulating online show evacuees bringing necessities — food, cooking pots, thermos flasks, sleeping mats, and blankets as they waited for the typhoon to pass.
CAVE AS SHELTER LOOK: Residents of Marabut, Samar sought refuge in a cave to protect themselves from the strong winds and heavy rainfall brought by the intensifying Typhoon Tino. 📷 Marabut PNP...
No major incidents have been reported so far, but the Marabut Police and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) remain on standby for possible rescue and relief operations. Officials continue to remind residents to stay alert and heed safety advisories.
Widespread Flooding Across Visayas and Mindanao
PAGASA and disaster agencies have warned of widespread flash floods and landslides in Eastern Visayas, Leyte, and neighbouring areas, with rainfall totals exceeding 200 mm in some locations.
The warnings have proven accurate, as the typhoon has already brought severe flooding across several regions.
@comesouthcamsur This is the situation in the area near Maayo Hotel on U.N. Avenue, Mandaue City, as of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, after Typhoon Tino wreaked havoc in Cebu province. #TyphoonTino #TinoPH #BagyongTino #flooding #flashflood #MandaueCity #Cebu #MandaueCityCebu #Visayas #Philippines
♬ original sound - Come South CAMSUR - Come South CAMSUR
In Cebu province, local officials reported widespread floods in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, and Mandaue, as well as in the towns of Consolacion and Liloan, largely due to overflowing rivers.
@benedict121 Please need rescue Villa del Rio 1 Bacayan Cebu #typhoon #tino #fyp #typhoontino #flood
♬ original sound - Vlad Sole PH - Vlad Sole PH
The plight of these families highlights the ongoing struggle of remote and coastal communities to find safe shelter during extreme weather. As the Philippines braces for stronger and more frequent storms in the months ahead, the stories of these families serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for safer evacuation options and climate-resilient infrastructure.
