Philippines Declares State Of Emergency After Typhoon Kalmaegi Kills 114

Philippines Declares State Of Emergency After Typhoon Kalmaegi Kills 114

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national emergency after Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the country, leaving at least 114 people dead and 127 missing in what officials called the country's deadliest natural disaster of the year.

The majority of the fatalities were caused by drowning in sudden flash floods that devastated the central provinces, particularly Cebu, where rivers and waterways burst their banks and engulfed entire communities. The powerful cyclone exited the Philippine archipelago on Wednesday, moving into the South China Sea, but not before displacing nearly 560,000 residents, including 450,000 who sought refuge in emergency shelters.

At least 71 people died in Cebu, with 65 others missing and 69 injured, officials said. In neighboring Negros Occidental, 62 people remain unaccounted for. The devastation follows a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30, killing 79 people and leaving thousands homeless.

Compounding the tragedy, six members of a Philippine Air Force crew died when their helicopter crashed Tuesday in Agusan del Sur while delivering humanitarian aid to storm-hit regions. The military has not released the cause of the crash.

Kalmaegi's heavy rains triggered flash floods that forced residents onto rooftops, where they waited hours for rescue as rising waters swallowed homes and vehicles. Across the country, ferries and fishing boats were grounded due to rough seas, 3,500 passengers were stranded in ports and 186 domestic flights were canceled.

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The storm affected nearly 2 million Filipinos, flattening villages and damaging critical infrastructure. In the aftermath, authorities warned that another tropical cyclone forming in the Pacific could intensify into a super typhoon and strike the northern Philippines early next week.

The Philippines, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire," faces around 20 typhoons and storms each year in addition to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone nations.

Source: News18
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