Devastating Impact: Typhoon Kalmaegi Claims Over 90 Lives in the Philippines

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The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has climbed past 90 as the devastating impact on hard-hit Cebu province became clearer after the worst flooding in recent memory.

Floodwaters described as unprecedented had rushed through the province’s towns and cities a day earlier, sweeping away cars, riverside shanties and even massive shipping containers.

On Wednesday, Cebu spokesman Rhon Ramos told Agence France-Presse that 35 bodies had been recovered from flooded areas of Liloan, a town that is part of provincial capital Cebu City’s metro area.

The grim news brought the toll for Cebu to 76. Earlier in the day, national civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro confirmed at least 17 deaths in other provinces.

In an interview with local radio, Alejandro highlighted that the flooding predominantly affected major urban centers, with 26 individuals still unaccounted for.

Coast Guard rescues residents trapped by floods

Images and footage from the Philippine Red Cross depict rescue teams navigating through knee-high floodwaters in Cebu City, employing boats to assist residents in need. The source of these visuals is credited to Getty/Anadolu.

The storm, known locally as Tino, has weakened since it first struck on Tuesday morning. However, it continues to batter the region with winds reaching 120 km/h and gusts up to 165 km/h as it moves across the Visayas islands towards northern Palawan and the South China Sea.

The Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather events in recent months.

In September, Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, forcing schools and government offices to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.

As a precautionary measure, close to 400,000 people were evacuated ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.

Tens of thousands were evacuated across the Visayas region, including parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, ahead of a storm that submerged homes and caused widespread flooding.

Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful due to human-driven climate change. Warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen rapidly, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, meaning heavier rainfall.

“When the water levels started to rise, we initially moved to the second floor. But as the water kept climbing, we were forced to seek refuge on our roof,” recounted one resident.

‘The waters kept rising’

Verified videos circulating on social media showed cars and streets underwater, with some vehicles carried away in the flow.

“We were really anxious because the longer the rains continued, the higher the floodwaters rose,” said John Patajo, a housekeeper in the area.

“When the waters rose, we went to our second floor. Yet, the waters kept rising, so we decided to head up to our roof.”

The typhoon was expected to leave the Philippines late on Wednesday or early Thursday.

State weather agency PAGASA had earlier warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3 metres high on coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines.

Military helicopter crash

The Philippine military confirmed on Tuesday that a helicopter, one of four deployed to assist typhoon relief efforts, had crashed on northern Mindanao island.

The Super Huey helicopter went down while en route to the coastal city of Butuan “in support of relief operations” related to the powerful storm, Eastern Mindanao Command said in a statement.

Hours later, air force spokeswoman Colonel Maria Christina Basco said the remains of six people had been recovered by troops.

“We’re waiting to confirm the identities via forensics in order to ascertain their identities,” she told reporters, saying two pilots and four crew members were on board.