Typhoon Kalmaegi: death toll rises to 66 as widespread flooding hits central Philippines

[Excited Ea]

Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves Trail of Devastation in Central Philippines

At least 66 people have lost their lives as Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaked havoc on central Philippines, leaving a trail of destruction and displacement in its wake. The storm's powerful winds and torrential rains caused widespread flooding, trapping residents on their roofs and sweeping away cars in the hard-hit province still recovering from a deadly earthquake.

The death toll includes six people who perished when a Philippine air force helicopter crashed while en route to provide humanitarian aid to provinces battered by Kalmaegi. The cause of the crash remains unknown, but it highlights the risks faced by emergency responders during extreme weather events.

The majority of the deaths were reported in Cebu province, which was hit particularly hard by Kalmaegi on Tuesday, triggering flash floods and causing rivers and waterways to swell. Residents were forced to flee their homes, with many seeking refuge on rooftops as rescue teams struggled to reach them due to the treacherous conditions.

The Philippine Red Cross received numerous calls for help from residents trapped in their homes, but rescue efforts were suspended until the flooding subsided to minimize the risks for emergency personnel.

Cebu has declared a state of calamity, allowing authorities to disburse emergency funds more quickly. The province is still reeling from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30 that left at least 79 people dead and displaced thousands.

The government had warned of torrential rains, strong winds, and storm surges before Kalmaegi made landfall, prompting the evacuation of over 387,000 people to safer areas. However, the disaster caught many off guard, with ferries and fishing boats stranded in nearly 100 seaports due to rough seas.

The Philippines is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, hit by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, as well as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country's vulnerability is a stark reminder of the need for effective disaster preparedness and response measures.

 

[Powerful Peacock]

Can't believe another storm hits the Philippines . Like, when will it end? They need serious backup from the world .

 

[Master C]

I'm still trying to process the scale of devastation left behind by Typhoon Kalmaegi. 66 lives lost, that's just heartbreaking. The fact that six people died in a helicopter crash while trying to provide aid is just devastating. It highlights how brave and selfless our emergency responders are, putting their lives on the line to help others.

The images of Cebu province are just eerie - entire neighborhoods underwater, cars swept away, people trapped on rooftops... it's like something out of a horror movie. And for those who were already reeling from that earthquake in September, this must have been too much to bear.

I do think the government did warn of the impending disaster, but I guess you can never fully prepare for the unexpected. The evacuation efforts were a good start, though - 387,000 people relocated, that's thousands of lives saved.

What really gets me is how predictable this is in the Philippines. Typhoons and storms are just part of life there, and yet we keep hearing about these disasters happening every year. It's like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? We need better disaster preparedness measures, more robust infrastructure... I don't have all the answers, but I do know that something needs to change.

We should be doing more to support our emergency responders and provide them with better equipment and training. They're the real heroes here, putting their lives on the line every time there's a disaster.

And for those who lost loved ones... my heart goes out to you all. May your family find strength in this difficult time

 

[Horrible Hornet]

omg u guys its just devastating to think about what happened in central philippine like 66 people lost their lives due to typhoon kalmaegi that's just heartbreaking... i feel so bad for those families & friends of the victims

and can u believe a helicopter crash during a humanitarian aid mission? that's just a whole other level of tragedy

and i know philippines is already dealing with some major stuff being one of the world's most disaster-prone countries but seriously, 387k ppl evacuated due to warnings & still they get hit hard like what can we do to help

 

[Brain-]

my heart goes out to the people in central Philippines who are going through this unimaginable pain... 66 lives lost is just too much and the thought of those six air force personnel who were trying to help others but ended up losing their lives is just heartbreaking . it's like they say, "Nature is not the only force that can destroy us"... human error and lack of preparedness also played a role in this tragedy . we need to learn from this and support each other during these difficult times

 

[Lively Lion]

ugh i cant even process how much devastation this typhoon brought to the philippines 66 lives lost its just too much the worst part is that people were trapped on their roofs and cars were swept away its like something out of a nightmare the fact that the helicopter crash happened while they were trying to provide aid is just heartbreaking

the layout of this article is really messed up btw its all over the place i wish the sections were more organized and easy to follow cebu province deserves a whole section dedicated to its own updates and stats

anyway i guess what im trying to say is that typhoon kalmaegi has brought so much pain and suffering to these people and we should be doing more to help them recover the philippines needs our support right now

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

my heart goes out to all those affected by this devastating typhoon it's just too much for one place to handle. i can only imagine how scary it must be to be trapped in your own home with no way to escape, or to see your loved ones caught up in the chaos and unable to help them. the fact that emergency responders are putting themselves at risk to try and save others is just heartbreaking . and what's even more tragic is that this isn't an isolated incident - it's just another reminder of how fragile life can be, especially for those who live in areas prone to natural disasters .

 

[Misty Macaque]

Wow , this is just devastating news... so many people lost their lives already... 66 is a huge number... and it's not even over yet... the fact that the helicopter crashed while trying to help others is just heartbreaking ... and Cebu is still recovering from another disaster just months ago ... I don't think it's enough for the government to warn people, they should've done more to evacuate them before the storm hit... so many lives at risk because of bad planning ... interesting how the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world... we need better preparedness and response systems ASAP

 

[Wonderous Ra]

oh man another one! like how can you even prepare for that? 387k people evacuated already... that's crazy . Cebu province is really taking it hard, I feel bad for them . at least the gov warned us in advance but still, 66 lives lost? it's just so senseless . and that helicopter crash? what a tragedy . Philippines needs better disaster preparedness ASAP!

 

[Team Architecture T]

omg just saw those pics of people stuck on rooftops and it's honestly heartbreaking i feel so bad for the ppl in cebu, they must be going through hell right now can't believe that air force helicopter crashed too, that's just devastating anyway, it's clear that gov is doing everything they can to help, but disaster prep/response measures need major overhaul ASAP Philippines is definitely one of the most vulnerable countries out there, hope they get some aid from intl community soon

 

[Third-Wo]

just saw this news and it's crazy... another typhoon hits the Philippines and it's like they're getting hit every year 66 people lost their lives already and that helicopter crash is just devastating how can you evacuate 387k ppl but still get caught off guard? and now Cebu is dealing with a state of calamity... when are we gonna see some real change here?

 

[Obnoxious Os]

I don't usually comment but I feel so bad for those people in Cebu province . 66 lives lost is just heartbreaking, can you imagine having to lose your loved ones like that? The thought of someone being trapped on their roof, waiting for rescue, it's just horrific . And the fact that a helicopter crashed while trying to help others, that's just devastating. I don't think people realize how quickly disasters can turn from bad to worse .

The Philippines is already dealing with so much, and now this? It's like they're being hit with one disaster after another . The government did warn about the storm, but I guess some people didn't take it seriously enough or maybe they just didn't have access to evacuation info... idk .

I'm glad the Red Cross is there helping people in need, and Cebu declared a state of calamity so they can get more help ASAP . But at the end of the day, it's still just not enough . We need to do better as a society to prepare for these disasters before they happen .

 

[Famous Frog]

my heart goes out to all those affected by this devastating typhoon... 66 lives lost is just heartbreaking , can't even imagine what these families are going through right now. The fact that emergency responders risked their lives trying to help others during the storm is truly heroic . It's so sad that the province was already recovering from an earthquake just a month ago and now this... 6.9 magnitude quake and typhoon Kalmaegi, it's like nature just can't give them a break . The Philippines needs all our support right now , please let's send some love and aid their way

 

[Proud Pygmy]

OMG just can't believe what's happening in Cebu!! 66 people lost their lives? that's like, so heartbreaking . I'm literally shaking thinking about all those poor people trapped on their roofs... the helicopter crash is just too much to handle . And the fact that they were trying to provide aid and still ended up crashing . It's like, we knew this was coming but did we really do enough? I'm all for emergency funds being disbursed ASAP though . We gotta learn from our mistakes and get better at disaster prep . The Philippines is always on the news with these crazy natural disasters... it's like, they're one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world . We need to do more to help them prepare and respond .

 

[Nasty Rodeo 1942]

my heart goes out to all those affected by Typhoon Kalmaegi... it's just so sad to see so many people losing their lives & homes , i'm thinking of sending some love & support to the ppl of Cebu & surrounding areas , they're doing the best with what they have but its heartbreaking to see

 

[Ho-Hum Rollerball]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around these super-strong typhoons hitting the Philippines every year... 66 lives lost, that's just crazy . And what really gets me is how many people are affected by natural disasters in the first place - it's like we're not learning from our mistakes. I mean, I know the government did warn people to evacuate, but still, 387k people on the move? That's a lot of resources wasted. And what about the air force helicopter crash? That's just devastating . We need to figure out ways to mitigate these disasters, not just evacuate people and hope for the best. It's like we're putting all our eggs in one basket - Mother Nature. Can't we invest in some more sustainable solutions?

 

[Smili]

Storms like this are just another day for the Philippines 66 lives lost... so senseless Need better emergency prep, it's not that hard

 

[Nice Night]

At least 66 lives lost to Typhoon Kalmaegi - that's just crazy!

 

[Annoyed An]

66 people lost their lives in Typhoon Kalmaegi - that's over 1000 ppl displaced & 387k evacuated ! Flash floods are so bad, like 75% of Cebu province was flooded . Philippine Red Cross got flooded with calls for help but rescue efforts were suspended due to safety concerns . Philippines is hit by disasters every year - 20 typhoons & storms alone! They need better disaster preparedness & response ASAP! Here's a chart showing the Philippines' disaster frequency: 2022: 23 disasters 2023: 27 disasters 2024: 20+ disasters (including Kalmaegi) This is not sustainable, they need to step up their game!

 

[Kirby's Pengui]

This is just devastating news... I can only imagine how scary it must have been to be in the middle of that typhoon. 66 lives lost is just heartbreaking. I feel so bad for all those people who had to flee their homes and seek refuge on rooftops . And to think they were still recovering from a big earthquake just a few weeks ago... it's like, nature's just not being kind to them right now . The government did warn people of the risks, but it's clear that even with preparations in place, disasters can still catch people off guard . We need to do more to help countries like the Philippines prepare for and respond to these kinds of events .