Typhoon Kalmaegi Submerges Philippine Cities, Kills Over Twenty

(MENAFN) Typhoon Kalmaegi hammered the Philippines on Tuesday, triggering massive flooding that submerged houses up to the roofs, swept away countless cars, and displaced thousands of villagers, killing at least 26, said the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Tuesday.

OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said that 22 of the deaths were reported in Central Visayas region, two in Negros Island region, one in Western Visayas region, and one in Eastern Visayas region.

"All these reported casualties are being verified and validated," Castillo said.

The OCD said the victims were either swept away in floodwaters, pinned by fallen trees, or electrocuted.

Kalmaegi has affected nearly 60,000 people in the central and southern Philippines, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, a Philippine military Super Huey helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur province in Mindanao island in the southern Philippines while on a relief operation, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said.

The aircraft was part of a flight of four helicopters that had departed from Davao City to Butuan City to conduct a Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis mission, said the PAF, adding that a thorough investigation has been conducted to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident.

Footage posted on social media showed numerous cars piled on top of each other in Cebu province, with residents on the roofs waiting to be rescued. Another footage showed fierce winds cutting a large branch from a tree, which almost hit residents on the roof.

The immense volume and strong current of the floodwaters swallowed roads and streets in Central Visayas region. And a power blackout blanketed Siargao Island, one of the country's most popular tourist destinations, after strong, violent winds battered the island.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines earlier said the typhoon forced airlines to cancel more than 100 flights.

The state weather bureau warned that Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, which was moving northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour on Tuesday afternoon, will bring a storm surge of up to 3 meters.

Kalmaegi, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour and gusts of up to 180 km per hour, will continue its destructive path as it crosses Visayas and Palawan.

Kalmaegi is forecast to steadily re-intensify over the next days and may reach its peak intensity while over the South China Sea, the bureau said in its latest bulletin.

Kalmaegi is the 20th typhoon to slam the Philippine archipelago this year.

Located along the Pacific typhoon belt, the Philippines experiences an average of 20 typhoons each year, bringing intense winds, storm surges, and landslides that result in devastating damage and loss of life.

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