Typhoon Kalmaegi has caused the deaths of at least 26 individuals in the Philippines, primarily due to flooding triggered by the storm’s passage through the central region of the country on Tuesday, according to disaster response authorities. The flooding stranded numerous people on rooftops and submerged vehicles.
Additionally, six individuals lost their lives in a separate incident in southern Agusan del Sur province when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed while delivering humanitarian aid to areas impacted by Kalmaegi. The bodies of all passengers aboard the helicopter were retrieved following a search near Loreto town, as reported by the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command.
Kalmaegi, with sustained winds of 130 km/h and gusts up to 180 km/h, was last observed over the coastal waters of Jordan town in Guimaras province. The typhoon was expected to move into the South China Sea after making landfall in Palawan province.
Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defence, confirmed that at least 26 fatalities were recorded, with many occurring in flooding in Cebu province and other central island areas affected by Kalmaegi. Details regarding these deaths were still being verified.
Among the deceased was an elderly resident who drowned in floodwaters in Southern Leyte, where a power outage was reported after the typhoon hit one of its eastern towns. Another individual in central Bohol province died after being struck by a falling tree, according to provincial officials.
Gwendolyn Pang, secretary general of the Philippine Red Cross, mentioned that several residents were stranded on rooftops due to flooding in Liloan, Cebu, with cars either submerged or floating in another community. Cebu province was still recovering from a significant earthquake in September.
In Eastern Samar, strong winds from Kalmaegi caused damage to around 300 mostly rural structures in the island community of Homonhon, part of the town of Guiuan. However, there were no reports of casualties, as stated by Mayor Annaliza Gonzales Kwan.
The Philippines, being susceptible to natural disasters, faces around 20 typhoons and storms annually, alongside seismic activity and numerous active volcanoes.