The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi has climbed to four, as the powerful storm unleashes heavy rain and floods across the central Philippines, submerging homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.

Although Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continued to lash the country with winds of 130km/h and gusts of 180km/h as it swept across the Visayas islands and northern Palawan towards the South China Sea.

Three people were confirmed dead and at least one person was reported missing in the central province of Cebu, provincial information officer Ainjeliz Orong said.

Two more deaths were still being verified.

"We weren't expecting this much flooding," Orong said by phone.

In neighbouring Bohol province, one person was killed after being struck

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