The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines rose to 46 on Tuesday, according to government officials. Among the victims were six crew members of a military Huey helicopter, which crashed during a humanitarian rescue mission amid the fierce storm.
The crash occurred in Agusan del Sur, on the island of Mindanao, where the aircraft was delivering disaster relief supplies. Authorities confirmed that all six crew members were found deceased, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
In Cebu province, the worst-hit area, at least 39 people died, mostly from drowning or falling debris, while another fatality was reported on Bohol Island.
Although Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, has weakened since making landfall early Tuesday, it continued to batter the central Philippines with winds reaching 120 km/h and gusts up to 165 km/h, triggering severe floods and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
“Search and rescue efforts continue and there are missing and unaccounted individuals,”
said Cebu provincial information officer Ainjeliz Orong, noting that the number of casualties spiked suddenly as reports from remote areas began coming in.
Floodwaters in Cebu City started to subside by late Tuesday, but power outages and communication disruptions persisted. Videos shared on social media revealed streets and cars completely submerged, with some vehicles swept away by powerful currents.
“When the floodwaters rose, we had to climb to the second floor, and then to the roof,” said John Patajo, a local resident, describing the terrifying moments as water levels kept rising.
More than 300 flights to and from the affected areas were canceled, and maritime authorities ordered vessels to return to port for safety.
As the storm moves westward, Vietnam has begun preparing for its impact, with forecasts suggesting that Kalmaegi will make landfall Thursday night in the country’s central regions, which are already reeling from deadly floods that killed at least 40 people in the past week.
Typhoon Kalmaegi’s devastation underscores the growing vulnerability of Southeast Asia to powerful tropical systems that bring catastrophic rainfall, landslides, and destruction to densely populated regions
