Residents sought refuge on rooftops and cars floated through flooded streets on Tuesday as Typhoon Kalmaegi battered the central Philippines, leaving at least two people dead.

Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the powerful storm, which made landfall shortly before midnight.

As of 8:00 am (0000 GMT), the typhoon was moving westwards across the islands of Cebu and Negros, with winds of 150 kilometres (93 miles) per hour and gusts of 185 kph toppling trees and downing power lines.

"People marooned on rooftops are asking to be rescued," Cebu information officer Rhon Ramos told AFP by phone, adding that even some evacuation centres had been flooded.

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.

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