CEBU, Philippines – The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has risen to 40, officials said on Nov 4, as the powerful storm unleashed heavy rain and floods across the central region, submerging homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.
Although Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Nov 4, it continued to lash the country with winds of 130kmh and gusts of 180 kmh as it swept across the Visayas islands, heading for northern Palawan and towards the South China Sea.
The number of people killed climbed to 40 late on Nov 4, all but one of them 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, Ms 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-for individuals,” Ms Orong said in a phone message, adding that the deaths were due to drowning and falling debris.
Tens of thousands of residents were evacuated across the Visayas region, including parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, the authorities said. The typhoon was expected to leave the Philippines late on Nov 5 or early on Nov 6.
Floods in Cebu City had subsided late on Nov 4 but power was still out in many areas and telecommunications services were intermittent, a Reuters journalist in Cebu said.
Photos and videos from the Philippine Red Cross showed rescue workers wading through knee-deep flood waters in Cebu City, using boats to reach stranded residents. In Liloan town, on the northern outskirts of the city, homes were submerged, with only rooftops and top floors visible.
Similar scenes from other parts of Cebu City, with vehicles and streets under water, circulated on social media.
State weather agency Pagasa said the combination of Typhoon Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rain and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.
More than 180 flights to and from the affected areas were cancelled on Nov 4, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbour immediately and to remain in port.
Pagasa had earlier warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3m high along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao.
The Vietnamese government also said on Nov 4 that it was preparing for the worst-case scenario as it braced for the impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi.
The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on the night of Nov 6 in Vietnam’s central regions, which have already suffered heavy floods that killed at least 40 people and left six others missing over the past week.
“This is a very strong typhoon, which continues to strengthen after entering the East Sea,” the government said in a statement, referring to the South China Sea.
Typhoon Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, recovers from a series of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather events in recent months.
In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, forcing government offices and classes to close as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain. REUTERS