Typhoon Kalmaegi Claims at Least 59 Lives in Central Philippines

Manila: The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which tore through the central Philippines earlier this week, has continued to intensify, with at least 59 confirmed dead and local media reporting up to 66 fatalities. Authorities said 13 people remain missing as rescue and relief operations continue across the affected provinces.

The storm, known locally as Tino, caused extensive damage as it swept through the central islands before moving out toward the South China Sea. Officials said the typhoon also battered Palawan province, worsening the destruction and adding to the casualties. Among the dead were six military personnel, killed when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur province while on a relief mission to deliver aid to storm-hit communities.

Most of the deaths were reported in the province of Cebu, one of the country’s main tourist destinations, according to Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, Deputy Administrator of the Office of Civil Defence. Cebu, which has a population of over 2.4 million, was still reeling from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck a month ago, killing 79 people and displacing thousands. With many residents living in temporary shelters, the typhoon’s torrential rains and floods triggered further devastation, submerging homes and sweeping away entire villages.

The state weather bureau said that after making landfall early on Tuesday, Kalmaegi weakened slightly while crossing the central islands but was expected to regain strength over the South China Sea. The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 180 kmph (112 mph), uprooting trees, toppling power lines, and damaging critical infrastructure.

Across parts of southern Luzon, northern Mindanao, and the Visayas region, more than 200,000 people were evacuated to safety. Severe flooding was reported in several areas, with residents trapped on rooftops and vehicles submerged. Power supply was disrupted in large parts of the affected regions.

By Wednesday morning, the storm had crossed the coastal waters off Linapacan in Palawan province, before moving westward toward the South China Sea. Forecasters said Kalmaegi is likely to approach the Vietnamese coast by Friday.

Authorities said this was the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year. The country is among the world’s most disaster-prone nations, lying on the Pacific typhoon belt and the seismically active “Ring of Fire.”

In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded, devastated the central Philippines, killing over 7,300 people and destroying nearly one million homes.

Ahead of Kalmaegi’s landfall, officials said more than 387,000 residents were evacuated from low-lying and coastal areas. Inter-island ferry services and fishing operations were suspended, leaving over 3,500 passengers and cargo drivers stranded at more than 100 ports, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. About 186 domestic flights were also cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

The Philippines continues to face the twin threats of typhoons and earthquakes, compounded by the presence of over a dozen active volcanoes across the archipelago.