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The death toll from the typhoon rises above 90 in the Philippines as survivors face destruction
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The death toll from the typhoon rises above 90 in the Philippines as survivors face destruction

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The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has risen above 90 as the devastating impact on hard-hit Cebu province became clearer after the worst flooding in recent history.
Floods described as unprecedented had swept through the province’s towns and cities a day earlier, sweeping away cars, riverside slums and even huge shipping containers.
On Wednesday, Cebu spokesperson Rhon Ramos told Agence France-Presse that 35 bodies had been recovered from flooded areas of Liloan, a town that is part of the metro area of ​​the provincial capital Cebu City.
The grim news brought the toll for Cebu to 76. Earlier in the day, National Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Rafaelito Alejandro confirmed at least 17 deaths in other provinces.

“It was the big cities that were hit (by flooding), highly urbanized areas,” Alejandro said in an interview with local radio, adding that 26 people were still missing.

Photos and videos from the Philippine Red Cross show rescuers wading through knee-deep water in Cebu City, using boats to reach stranded residents. Source: Getty / Anadolu

Number of disasters in the Philippines

The Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a series of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather in recent months.
In September, Typhoon Ragasa hit northern Luzon, forcing schools and government buildings to close due to high winds and heavy rain.

Although Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, has gradually lost strength since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continued to lash the country with winds of 120 km/h and gusts of 165 km/h as it swept across the Visayas Islands on its way north from Palawan and towards the South China Sea.

Tens of thousands were evacuated in the Visayas region, including parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, ahead of a storm that inundated homes and caused widespread flooding.
Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful due to human-induced climate change. Warmer oceans can make typhoons stronger quickly, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which means heavier rainfall.

In total, almost 400,000 people were preventively removed from the typhoon’s path.

‘The water kept rising’

Verified videos circulating on social media show cars and streets underwater, with some vehicles swept away in the current.
“We were very worried because the longer the rain lasted, the higher the water rose,” said John Patajo, a housekeeper in the area.

“When the water rose, we went to our second floor. But the water kept rising, so we decided to go to our roof.”

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

State weather agency PAGASA had earlier warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could exceed 10 feet (3 meters) in coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines.

Crash of a military helicopter

The Philippine military confirmed on Tuesday that a helicopter, one of four deployed to support typhoon relief, had crashed on the northern island of Mindanao.
The Super Huey helicopter crashed 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 Col. Maria Christina Basco said the remains of six people had been recovered by troops.
“We are waiting for confirmation of identity through forensic investigation to establish their identity,” she told reporters, saying there were two pilots and four crew members on board.

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