A deadly aftermath has been left by Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines, with the death toll currently standing at 26 individuals, largely due to flooding triggered by the storm’s onslaught across the central part of the nation on Tuesday, as reported by disaster response officials. The torrential waters trapped numerous individuals on their rooftops and submerged vehicles.
In a separate incident, six more people lost their lives when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in southern Agusan del Sur province while en route to deliver humanitarian aid to regions affected by Kalmaegi. The bodies of all passengers aboard the Super Huey chopper, which crashed near Loreto town, were recovered following a search, as announced by the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command without disclosing further details regarding the crash’s cause.
Kalmaegi was last observed over the coastal waters of Jordan town in Guimaras province, with sustained winds reaching 130 km/h and gusts up to 180 km/h. The typhoon was anticipated to head towards the South China Sea by late Tuesday or early Wednesday after impacting Palawan province.
Deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defence, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, stated that at least 26 fatalities were reported, with many succumbing to flooding in Cebu province and other central island areas ravaged by Kalmaegi, the 20th tropical cyclone to strike the Philippine archipelago this year. The specifics of these casualties are still under verification.
Among the deceased was an elderly resident who drowned in floodwaters in Southern Leyte, where a widespread power outage was documented after the typhoon landed around midnight in one of its eastern towns. Additionally, a resident in central Bohol province perished after being struck by a fallen tree, as confirmed by provincial authorities.
Gwendolyn Pang, the secretary general of the Philippine Red Cross, reported that an unidentified number of individuals were trapped on their rooftops by floodwaters in the coastal town of Liloan in Cebu, noting that cars were either submerged or floating in another Cebu community due to the flooding.
In Eastern Samar, a province in the east-central region hit early by Kalmaegi, forceful winds tore off roofs and inflicted damage on around 300 mostly rural shanties in the island community of Homonhon, part of Guiuan town. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported, according to Mayor Annaliza Gonzales Kwan.
The Philippines faces a multitude of natural disasters annually, with around 20 typhoons and storms impacting the country. In addition to this, the nation is prone to earthquakes and houses more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries globally.