Typhoon Kalmaegi hits the Philippines

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The powerful storm unleashed by Typhoon Kalmaegi is also threatening rescue services. The enormous rainfall triggered floods that trapped thousands of residents. On the island of Cebu, entire cities were flooded. Many residents fled to the roofs of buildings because they did not have time to evacuate in time.

A representative of the civil defense administration confirmed that a total of 49 people died on the island. The water also flooded highly urbanized areas of major cities. Twenty-six residents are still missing and rescue teams are searching for them. The floods are receding and the real challenge now will be to clear the ubiquitous debris.

The day before the typhoon hit the Philippines, Cebu City received 183 millimeters of rain, well above the monthly average of 131 millimeters. A tragic incident occurred on the island of Mindanao. One of the military helicopters with a crew of six crashed while carrying out a humanitarian mission.

Locals initially feared the strong winds, but it soon became clear that the water would be the greater threat. The typhoon weakened on Tuesday but continued to batter the Philippines with winds of 120 kilometers per hour. It gradually swept across the Visayas island group and headed towards Palawan and the South China Sea.

Authorities said tens of thousands of people had been evacuated in the Visayas region, including southern Luzon and northern Mindanao. The typhoon is expected to leave the Philippines by Thursday morning. It is expected to maintain its destructive power throughout its passage through the Philippines.

Source: Aljazeera, Editorial Weathersunshine.com