**Typhoon Kalmaegi Death Toll in the Philippines Reaches 46 Amid Devastating Floods**
The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has risen to 46, including six people aboard a military helicopter that crashed during the powerful storm. The typhoon unleashed heavy rains and floods across the central region of the country, causing widespread devastation.
Floodwaters trapped many residents on their rooftops and submerged vehicles on Tuesday. Entire towns on the island of Cebu have been inundated, with local authorities reporting at least 39 fatalities in the central province alone. Another person was reported dead on the nearby island of Bohol.
The military confirmed that a Huey helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur on the island of Mindanao while conducting a humanitarian disaster response mission. Six bodies of the crew were recovered, and an investigation is currently underway.
In the 24 hours leading up to Typhoon Kalmaegi’s landfall shortly before midnight on Monday, the area around the provincial capital Cebu City was deluged with 183 millimeters (seven inches) of rain—far exceeding its 131-millimeter monthly average. State weather specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP, “The water rose so fast.”
Local resident Don del Rosario, 28, described the situation from Cebu City: “By 4:00 AM, it was already uncontrollable; people couldn’t get out of their houses. I’ve been here for 28 years, and this is by far the worst we’ve experienced.”
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Cebu’s provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro called the flooding “unprecedented.” She added, “We were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, but the water is what’s truly putting our people at risk. The floodwaters are just devastating.”
Although the storm gradually weakened on Tuesday, it continued to batter the country with winds of 120 km/h (74.5 mph) and gusts reaching 165 km/h (102.5 mph) as it swept across the Visayas islands, heading toward northern Palawan and the South China Sea.
Authorities reported that tens of thousands of residents were evacuated across the Visayas region, as well as parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao. The typhoon was expected to exit the Philippines late Wednesday or early Thursday.
According to the state weather agency PAGASA, “Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country.”
The Philippines experiences an average of 20 storms and typhoons annually, frequently striking disaster-prone areas where millions live in poverty. This year alone, the country was hit by two major storms in September, including Super Typhoon Ragasa, which killed at least three people and forced thousands to evacuate from villages and schools in Northern Philippines.
Looking ahead, Kalmaegi is forecast to make landfall Thursday night in Vietnam’s central regions, which have already endured severe flooding. These floods have killed at least 40 people and left six others missing over the past week.
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