Typhoon Kalmaegi kills over 90 in the Philippines with unprecedented flooding in Cebu province, while relief helicopter crash claims six lives.
CEBU: The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines surged past 90 on Wednesday as devastating floods swept through Cebu province.
Cebu spokesman Rhon Ramos confirmed 35 bodies were recovered from flooded areas of Liloan, bringing the provincial death toll to 76.
National civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro reported at least 17 additional deaths in other provinces.
“It was the major cities that got hit with floods, highly urbanised areas,” Alejandro told local radio, adding that 26 people remain missing.
Residents described unprecedented flooding that transformed streets into raging rivers.
“The flood here yesterday was really severe,” said 53-year-old Reynaldo Vergara, whose small shop was completely washed away.
“The river overflowed. That’s where the water came from,” he explained.
Weather specialist Charmagne Varilla reported the Cebu City area received 183 millimetres of rain in 24 hours before landfall, exceeding its monthly average of 131 millimetres.
Provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro called the situation “unprecedented” on Tuesday.
“We were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, but the water is what’s truly putting our people at risk,” she told reporters.
Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is making storms more powerful with heavier rainfall.
Separately, a Philippine military helicopter crashed during typhoon relief operations on northern Mindanao island.
The Super Huey went down while en route to Butuan city to support relief efforts.
Air force spokeswoman Colonel Maria Christina Basco confirmed the remains of six people had been recovered.
“We’re waiting to confirm the identities via forensics,” she told reporters, noting two pilots and four crew members were on board.
Kalmaegi continued moving westwards toward Palawan with winds of 130 kilometres per hour and gusts of 180 kph.
The Philippines averages 20 storms annually and has already reached that number with Kalmaegi, according to Varilla.
She predicted at least “three to five more” storms could hit by December’s end. – AFP
