THE deadly flooding brought by Typhoon Tino in Cebu was not only caused by strong winds, but more by the massive amount of rain that fell in just a single day.
Data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) show that Cebu received 183 millimeters of rainfall from Monday morning, November 3, 2025, to Tuesday morning, November 4 — more than what the province normally gets for the entire month of November.
The 30-year normal rainfall average for the entire month of November in the area is 131 millimeters.
In simple terms, Typhoon Tino dumped a month and a half’s worth of rain in 24 hours, overwhelming rivers and low-lying areas.
Pagasa also reported that parts of many coastal areas in eastern Cebu saw up to 300 millimeters of rain over a three-day period, November 1-3, exceeding the normal rate for that period by four to six times.
The situation was made worse by the already soaked ground after weeks of heavy rain in October, which prevented the water from draining quickly.
The Climate Prediction Center's leaky bucket soil moisture percentile also shows that Central Visayas, including Cebu, had very high soil moisture levels of 80-95 since September. It indicates that the ground was already extremely moist and saturated two months before the typhoon struck. (EHP)