Typhoon Kalmaegi Death Toll Reaches 66 in Philippines with Unprecedented Flooding in Cebu Province

Damaged houses in the aftermath of Typhoon Kalmaegi in Talisay in Cebu province

The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has increased to 66 on Wednesday as residents in the severely impacted Cebu province began sorting through their devastated homes and businesses following unprecedented flooding.

Powerful floodwaters surged through urban areas, carrying away vehicles and even large shipping containers in their path.

Civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro confirmed in a DZMM radio interview that Cebu province accounted for 49 of the total fatalities, with 26 people still reported missing.

"The major cities and highly urbanised areas were primarily affected by the floods," Alejandro stated. "All floodwaters have now receded, and our current challenge involves clearing debris blocking roadways."

On Wednesday morning, AFP journalists interviewed residents who were cleaning streets that had been transformed into raging rivers just a day earlier.

"Yesterday's flooding was extremely severe," said Reynaldo Vergara, 53, to AFP, explaining that his small shop's entire inventory had been washed away.

"The water came from the overflowing river," he continued. "Between four and five in the morning, the current was so strong that stepping outside was impossible. This is unprecedented—the water was absolutely raging."

Weather specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP that the area surrounding Cebu City received 183 millimetres (seven inches) of rainfall in the 24 hours before Kalmaegi made landfall, significantly exceeding the monthly average of 131 millimetres.

Provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro described the situation as "unprecedented" on Tuesday.

"While we anticipated the winds would pose the greatest danger, it's actually the floodwaters that have put our people at greatest risk," she informed reporters. "The flooding has been utterly devastating."

Scientists emphasize that storms are growing more powerful due to human-induced climate change. Warmer oceans facilitate rapid typhoon intensification, while a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall.

Nearly 400,000 people were evacuated preventatively from the typhoon's projected path.

The Philippine military confirmed on Tuesday that a helicopter, one of four deployed for typhoon relief operations, crashed on northern Mindanao island.

The Super Huey helicopter went down while traveling to Butuan coastal city "supporting relief operations" for the powerful storm, according to Eastern Mindanao Command's statement, which added that search and recovery efforts were underway.

Later, air force spokeswoman Colonel Maria Christina Basco reported that troops had recovered the remains of six individuals.

"We're awaiting forensic confirmation to verify their identities," she told reporters, noting that two pilots and four crew members were aboard the helicopter.

As of Wednesday morning at 8 am, Typhoon Kalmaegi was moving westward toward Palawan's tourist areas, carrying winds of 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour and gusts reaching 165 kph.

The Philippines typically experiences an average of 20 storms and typhoons annually, regularly affecting disaster-prone regions where millions live in poverty.

With Kalmaegi, the archipelagic nation has already reached this annual average, according to weather specialist Varilla, who added that "three to five more" storms could be expected before December ends.

The Philippines experienced two major storms in September, including Super Typhoon Ragasa, which damaged buildings and claimed 14 lives in nearby Taiwan.