Public sentiment regarding Typhoon Kalmaegi is marked by significant concern over the effects of the disaster, frustration over alleged government corruption and mismanagement, and skepticism about the authenticity of media representations of the flooding. Many citizens express a strong desire for accountability and improved disaster preparedness, while others worry about misinformation regarding the typhoon's impact, particularly in Cebu.

Philippine Government

Local Contractors

Marcos Administration

Can’t believe we’re at the point where we can’t even tell if the pics are AI or not. We are truly fucked.

kelly_hasegawa

It’s the orange clothes and the spotless cat

Deo-Gratias

Am from here and I can assure you it's real. The flood waters carried all those cars there. There is a video taken from there when that happened. These photos were posted on the local news.

Avrarki10

titoforyou

Just some context on the stuff in the pic:
The Philippines has had several styles of license plates over the years.
The orange camouflage looks funny but it's something I've seen with my own eyes recently (only this year) during big events

BenthicBen

I'm worried for you lot. These don't look ai generated at all wtf

GobiasACupOfCoffee

Lots of r/confidentlyincorrect people in here saying this is AI. Here are some photos of the scene in same location. Notice the same license plates, cars, and buildings.

[https://imgur.com/a/flood-mIKtdQz](https://imgur.com/a/flood-mIKtdQz)

cloud_jelly

The way these photos were HDR post-processed adds to the AI feel

bigfoot_is_real_

It's not AI. Raw photos can be seen on multiple news sites. (PHILIPPINE STAR, for example)

suwampert

The typhoon really hit hard in our area, even though we weren't directly in its path. Flooding in the Philippines is such a major problem, mostly because officials keep stealing the funds meant for proper flood control projects to support their lavish lifestyles.

Pure-Maintenance5714

You foreigners concern me a lot considering some of y'all genuinely think this is AI.

This is coming from a survivor of this event, the eye passed directly over my area and the damages are exactly like this and then some. People's lives have been destroyed and even some have been unfortunately taken.

"The cars look clean", well duh, get pressure washed by heavy rain, 3-4 high floods, storm surge and 180-205 km/h winds, of course it's gonna look somewhat clean with all that water.

Those who genuinely believe this is AI, y'all are either incredibly insensitive or have never faced hardship like this. I wouldn't wish this event on anybody, so please be sensitive with calling these images "AI" because it invalidates the hardships me and my people are currently going through.

kurtkurtkurt565

This is the local news related to the pics.

https://youtu.be/a8rXUBhtH4o?si=0s0NXxdxAfcx0wBO

https://youtu.be/wBey-cL_x4c?si=YuRfdEa4TXqBsIWf

Shoddy_Crazy_204

Only looks AI generated to people who haven't experienced a natural disaster

AdSingle7381

The letters are completely good tho.

AI tends to have trouble when it comes to hair and interactions.

For those saying the white cat is too clean I can just say that the owner took good care of the cat.

For those saying the cars ain't dirty it's a typhoon, once the floods calms down the rain will wash the dirt off.

For those saying the signs in English the Philippines use English for a lot of things since it's our secondary language, it's also because a lot more people recognize english words which include tourists.

As someone who has experienced stuff like these the rain can do clean stuff easily if it don't break.

ImANormalMan

uname-doesntcheckout

From the Philippines, it's real. Some of you don't know what the outside looks like anymore

heavyer93

No, it doesn’t. Also, what a wonderful guy that dude is for saving the cat ❤️

issmagic

If the letters are normal and not weird garbled lines, it’s (usually) real.

hanimal16

solblurgh

This is not AI generated and does not look so… lol

CableMod1991

this is real. heres video from another stack, same neighborhood https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQn6R_vksER/?igsh=em1wdXJpampmbWc4

ProfessionalOnion316

Hi, I'm from Cebu, Philippines, i can assure ya'll these photos are certainly REAL, in fact the typhoon rn is still currently ongoing by my time of writing (10:01 PM PST). 

Pics compiled by my fellows: https://imgur.com/a/flood-mIKtdQz

YT Vids:
https://youtu.be/C0VU8CpbAs0 , 
https://youtu.be/LyQ7tjes5KU , 
https://youtu.be/c8ILtu4fbAc

For other Vids, just search "Cebu Flood", recent news coverage has all the answers you need to know about the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino here in my Home Province.

Botanx_235

Lol no this is not AI generated, this is a reality in Philippines every year, most times every other month (just different province each month)

viasogorg

The “We can always tell” crowd out in full force today it seems

Weak-Objective3812

These aren’t AI. AI does not understand context

kilroy-was-here-2543

What about it looks AI? I don’t see the signs.

raycraft_io

LeftSky828

the images in itself don't seem ai generated, the post processing of the images to make it look high definition is what makes it look like ai. 

The unprocessed pic would look more natural and real.

TheLoneBlrReader

TheDreamWoken

I think those cars have been totaled,  
how high was the flood for them to be on top of each other?

PacquiaoFreeHousing

Sorry-Original-9809

Piles of cars are nothing out of the ordinary after heavy flooding.

mandeltonkacreme

After having about 3 meters of water in our front yard a few years ago, I don't see any AI stuff in those pics.

Ser_Optimus

Has the typhoon passed? Electricity restored or any update please !

igottwoscreens

Only way I know it's not AI in the last pic is because the text in the background is an actual word.

MDK1980

It’s a sad state of the world when we have to question everything.

BRI4NK

Nothing about these pictures even remotely suggests AI.

chadwicke619

Please don't let "it looks AI generated" become the new "it looks unbelievable"

AH_Ace

back in my day we used to say it looked photoshopped

WolfiusMaximus1016

KnowOneDotNinja

How do white cats always manage to have perfect white fur

Away_Needleworker6

Cebu got wrecked by a[devastating earthquake recently](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Cebu_earthquake) and we're experiencing back to back SUPER typhoons for this month alone

ExuDeku

No it's not, all the text is too realistic and shaped right.

Diligent-Luck4331

we really r doomed man, we cant even tell the difference now

CapnChiknNugget

If this was AI you would see a bunch of stuff piled up and not understand what individual objects are. Everything is distinguishable in these pictures.

Stainless-Bacon

That silver one's a ford ecosport. I too had one. Gave up on me on a long road trip through extreme mountains at around 4800 metre height. I won't forget this car.

utsav-garg

Seems like a lot of people agree. But I don’t see it.

ADunningKrugerEffect

HQRhaven

displayboi

Looks like the edge of a map in a multiplayer shooter game like CoD or something.

Doshin108

FunctionDapper4462

My wife is from Cebu. Her sister's family lives in the mountains and their home flooded today. Her mom lives in a dilapidated home and has refused to leave. Hope she is alright.

gmanasaurus

It is real. I have filipino colleague, who is from Cebu. He confirms.

noombass

Wait until 10 years time, governments and media will have done this so often we wont be able to tell the difference any more, best way is to stop caring and look after yourself. Morbid but time to escape the hive as best as you can.

papayogismurf16

Philippines is actually cursed. Quite possibly the worse luck in terms of geographical location when it comes to natural disasters

Stock_Coat9926

I was born near here but left when I was 3 and occasionally have had dreams of a place that looks eerily like this photo with floods running through it.  I doubt I would have seen that in person while I was there though, which makes this so weird.

AccountForDoingWORK

Leonardobertoni

How do these even look like ai? Are you guys good?

LittleFairyOfDeath

CheckOutDisMuthaFuka

Cars look really clean to have been pilled up in muddy water.

BourgysRed

Is that hi-vis camo? That might be dumbest thing I have ever seen if so.

Max-Phallus

It’s a a little peculiar how much force it would take to throw those cars and trucks around yet the power lines are intact

friendfrirnd

CyberMallCop

See, AI is so advanced it already makes Typhoons.

dervu

And they just had a big earthquake and like 15,000 aftershocks a few weeks ago in northern Cebu.

Ravaha

Definitely AI. The cars are a dead giveaway. They look too “bright” as in new. There’s zero dirt, mud, water or any debris on the cars. There are zero dents in any of the cars beside the one with the busted side mirror. I’m not a mechanic but if this is real then those are some lucky car owners because they can definitely be driven again with minor fixes and interior repairs. 

AI is going to replace the Media in general and I mean everything media

MagnoliaTree__

I feel like these pictures went through a filter to make them look like that, but damn AI is evolving so fast you have to look more than twice to make sure

Traditional-Month698

That's insane - was my first thought when looking at these

OdysseyTag

Big_Muny_No_Whammies

HankBuffalo

I doubt every single photo now because I can no longer tell what's real and what's not

TheLivingTribunal666

el_lley

Awh yes not a single blemish on any of these vehicles. The most realistic of ai shlop

Possible_Actuator_29

Drama sells and making it look wors will be paid out in more money.

This is the world of today.

DegreeHorror9396

MukimukiMaster

CurrentAnteater1289

Water is powerful but them cars are way to clean. How bad was the flooding during to this storm?  Flood waters are some dirty ass waters.

Comfortable-nerve78

tonyt0nychopper

Everything is AI.

Everyone is bots. 

Regardless of the fact that these statements are real or not, the future is bleak.

MalcomXhamster

~~the typhoon was real but this is definitelly GenAI, you can search for actual photos and will see that the way the water on these interact with the objects is weird and uncanny.~~

~~the easiest way to detect its GenAI is the cars, the AI tries really hard to generate a Red Toyota Wigo, but fucked up the Toyota Emblem and the reverse lights are completely wrong, the red Hyundai Accent on top of the Wigo isa the creme of the creme not only has its perspective wrong, from this angle part of the rear window should be visible, but check the massive and incomprehensibly rear quarter panel, compare the head of the guy near the wheel arch and the rest of the panel and the bumper, it has no sense, also the taillights are unnaturally large and the license plate is too big for the trunk door,  the WIGO has a correct but...suspiciously too clear for a photo license plate.~~

~~if the cars are wrong the rest is wrong. besides, really, check actual photos of the typhoon. and you will see the cars retain droplets of water, on these there's none. and the photos have this blurriness characteristically of cheap GenAI~~

~~im not even mentioning the architecturally fuckery on the top of the image, the window with the man has reflections right of him, but the other window left of him has none, theres GenAI gibberish on the column right of him and what the hell is going next to it? that ceiling is something Escher would draw.~~

~~btw the images have zero actual hits on most search engines, if they were real there would be hundreds of results for diverse news outlets.~~

  
EDIT: i stand corrected, someone here posted a imgur album of the first photo from a different angle and sure, that photo is real.

nevadita

All that unbroken trim, glass and head/ tail lights after being shoved and stacked by debris filled flood waters?

Yea, not a chance..

Z16z10

I thought I was the only one who second guessed the photo. It looked like an AI generated image for me at first glance. 😭

BitchManggaPie

Insane... the only thing that gives it away is the spotless cars....how can they be on top of each other (presumably carried by muddy water) and still be this clean!

pantograph23

Cars look abnormally clean for the circumstance.

Alois-Killbanks88

Looks like da nang and khanh hoa are affected on November 7th

kirsion

suppose to arrive today. maybe i make last minute flight somewhere else

ResearchPast6325

Hi, I can’t really tell from the picture, any insight if it will possibly affect flights out of HCMC on the 7th? Thanks

rivincita

The last time I experienced power outage because of a Typhoon was 2006, back in the Xangsane one. Since then my area occasionally has had power outage for maintenance but never because of weather. I'm in Hai Chau tho.

TojokaiNoYondaime

This isn't a hurricane. It is a torrential downpour.

SecondSaintsSonInLaw

Apparently not going to hit us and moved more towards Nha Trang. But the couple ones I've been through here were just wild winds, power was fine and no flooding.

yucatan36

It will feel like a rainstorm to you. Oh and yes, the places will be open (the ones with doors).
Don't you know the Lady Budha has been protecting Da Nang? :-)

gr3as3gun

Expect some power outrage if you’re in the sea side of the river. Usually nothing major. Charge up your electronics and you should be fine. If you’re planning on staying here I would recommend purchasing a portable charging station like [this one](https://shopee.vn/Tr%E1%BA%A1m-S%E1%BA%A1c-T%C3%ADch-%C4%90i%E1%BB%87n-D%E1%BB%B1-Ph%C3%B2ng-Di-%C4%90%E1%BB%99ng-C%C3%B4ng-Su%E1%BA%A5t-400W-1100W.Tr%E1%BA%A1m-T%C3%ADch-%C4%90i%E1%BB%87n-Du-L%E1%BB%8Bch-Camping-Leo-N%C3%BAi-T%C3%ADch-%C4%90i%E1%BB%87n-Gia-%C4%90%C3%ACnh-i.1327987191.29362390649). I have been using it for 2 years now, no issues.

https://preview.redd.it/9kxyy7mg4czf1.jpeg?width=1081&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;s=bef29c354af12cc429907e83d764c4b8e62e1c34

elVietnamita

Sulo2020

Usually the power is turned off for safety reasons if it isn't knocked out by the storm itself.

Lucky_Relationship89

Caserod98

Don't worrry too much. Just rainy. No flood that need power cut. An Thuong is the good place to live.

Flaky-Active2063

I arrive on 6th Nov late afternoon.. Not sure if I should cancel?

kumgongkia

Typhoon Kalmaegi has resulted in devastating impacts in the Philippines, causing fatalities and widespread destruction, particularly in Cebu province.

Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines

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