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, authorities report.
Typhoon Kalmaegi has flooded entire towns on the most populated central island of Cebu, where 49 of the fatalities were located. Twenty-six others are missing, a civil defense official stated during a radio interview.
Videos show individuals sheltering on rooftops while vehicles and shipping containers were swept through the streets.
The official death toll includes six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed on Mindanao island, south of Cebu, after it was deployed to assist in relief efforts.
The aircraft went down on Tuesday near Agusan del Sur and was one of four sent to help. Communication with the helicopter was lost, which immediately prompted the launch of a search and rescue operation, said the Philippine Air Force, later confirming the recovery of six bodies, believed to be from the pilot and crew.
Although the typhoon, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continues to bring winds exceeding 80mph (130km/h). The storm is forecasted to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday.
Rafaelito Alejandro, the deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense, provided updates on the casualty numbers during an interview on the local radio station DZMM. Rescue operations face challenges from debris and vehicles obstructing the roads.
Provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro expressed serious concern over the situation: The situation in Cebu is really unprecedented... The water is what's truly putting our people at risk, she added, declaring a state of calamity in Cebu to expedite disaster relief efforts.
Preliminary reports suggest that most deaths were a result of drowning, attributed to torrents of muddy water rushing down hillsides and inundating towns and cities. The storm inflicted substantial damage to residential areas in Cebu, where many buildings were swept away, leaving behind a thick layer of mud.
Over 400,000 individuals have been reported displaced as a result of the typhoon, highlighting a need for urgent support and recovery assistance.
The Philippines typically encounters an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year. Kalmaegi’s impact follows a particularly destructive month, with other typhoons causing death and significant infrastructure damage. Just weeks ago, Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, and Typhoon Bualoi, known locally as Opong, had already left their mark on the country.
As the typhoon moves on to Vietnam, which is already experiencing record-breaking rainfall, the communities affected in the Philippines are bracing for a long and difficult recovery process.
