At least 66 people have been killed while hundreds of thousands fled their homes as one of the strongest typhoons this year ripped through the central Philippines, according to authorities. Typhoon Kalmaegi has flooded entire towns on the most populated central island of Cebu, where 49 of the fatalities were reported. Twenty-six others are still missing, as stated by a civil defense official in a recent radio interview.
Videos circulating online show individuals seeking shelter on rooftops while cars and shipping containers were swept through the streets. The recorded death toll includes six military helicopter crew members who perished when their aircraft crashed on Mindanao island, deployed to assist in relief efforts for the typhoon.
The helicopter went down near Agusan del Sur, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation. According to the Philippine Air Force, six bodies have been recovered, believed to belong to the pilot and crew. While Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continues to bring winds exceeding 80 mph (130 km/h).
The forecast indicates the storm will move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea. Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defence, confirmed the latest casualty figures during an interview, highlighting that rescuers are currently waiting for the weather to clear to deliver much-needed aid. 'The challenge is the debris and vehicles on the road that we need to clear,' he noted.
Cebu's provincial governor, Pamela Baricuatro, expressed her concerns regarding the unprecedented nature of the situation, stating on Facebook that 'the water is what's truly putting our people at risk.' Many deaths resulted from drowning as torrents of muddy water cascaded down hills into city areas, devastating residential zones and leaving rescue teams to utilize boats for evacuations.
Don del Rosario, a Cebu City resident, remarked, 'I've been here for 28 years, and this is by far the worst we've experienced,' while more than 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to the disaster.
The Philippines encounters roughly 20 storms and typhoons yearly, with this event occurring shortly after back-to-back storms devastated infrastructure and agriculture in the region. A powerful earthquake striking the central Philippines before these events exacerbated the situation, raising concerns over the country's disaster preparedness and response capabilities in light of ongoing corruption allegations regarding flood control systems.
Currently, Typhoon Kalmaegi is anticipated to progress towards Vietnam, which is already facing record-breaking rainfall.
