Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaks havoc in Philippines with 40 dead and mass evacuations
A Philippine military helicopter carrying five personnel also crashed in the country’s south while responding to the storm’s devastation
The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has risen to 40, officials said on Tuesday, as the powerful storm unleashed heavy rains and floods across the central region, submerging homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.
Although Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continued to lash the country with winds of 130km/h (81mph) and gusts of 180km/h (112mph) as it swept across the Visayas islands headed for northern Palawan and towards the South China Sea.
All but one of the fatalities occurred in the central province of Cebu, provincial information officer Ainjeliz Orong said. One person was reported dead on the nearby island of Bohol, according to the disaster agency.
Asked why the sudden jump in casualties, Orong said rescue operations were under way and information had just started to come through.
“Search and rescue efforts continue and there are missing and unaccounted individuals,” Orong said in a phone message, adding the deaths were due to drowning and falling debris.