Typhoon Kalmegi Kills 100 in the Philippines, 26 Still Missing

Darwin, 06 November-

At least 100 people have been killed and 26 remain missing in the Philippines after Typhoon Kalmegi struck the country earlier this week, according to officials cited by Ireland-based news outlet RTÉ.

The powerful storm made landfall on Tuesday along the coast of Cebu Province after forming over the Philippine Sea, causing the most severe damage in that area.

Ron Ramos, spokesperson for the provincial government of Cebu, said that 83 bodies have been recovered from various towns and flood-hit areas within the province. Meanwhile, Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator of the national civil defense office, confirmed that 17 more deaths were reported from nearby provinces.

Speaking to a local radio station, Alejandro warned that the death toll could rise further as 26 people are still missing. “Most major cities in Cebu are submerged under floodwater. Even highly urbanized areas have been inundated,” he added.

According to provincial weather officer Charmagne Varilla, Cebu City recorded the heaviest rainfall—183 millimeters—within 24 hours prior to the typhoon’s landfall. The torrential rain caused rivers to overflow, resulting in widespread flooding across the province.

A local resident described the situation early Wednesday morning: “At around 4 or 5 a.m., there was nowhere safe to stand. Many homes and shops were swept away by the flood.”

Government sources reported that around 400,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes and move to shelters and safer areas due to the flooding.

Cebu Governor Pamela Barricuatro called the situation “unprecedented,” saying, “We expected significant damage from the typhoon itself, but now it’s clear that flooding has become the far greater disaster.”

Due to its geographical location, the Philippines regularly experiences heavy rains, monsoon storms, and typhoons, averaging around 20 tropical storms each year.

In September, the country was hit by two typhoons, including the super typhoon Raghassa, which caused widespread damage.

Source: RTÉ