Catastrophic Typhoon Kalmaegi: Hundreds Displaced and Dozens Killed in the Philippines
The Philippines has been hit by the destructive Typhoon Kalmaegi, which caused widespread devastation, claiming at least 59 lives and forcing approximately half a million residents to evacuate their homes.
This storm is among the deadliest to strike the archipelago in recent years.
Details report that muddy floods engulfed central provinces, especially Cebu, where the casualties were highest.
Heavy currents flooded entire settlements, forcing residents to seek safety on rooftops.
Many victims fell victim to falling trees, debris from buildings, or were washed away by powerful water flows.
During rescue operations, a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed, resulting in the death of six crew members.
According to local meteorological services, the typhoon has weakened somewhat, but its sustained wind speed remains at 120 km/h with gusts up to 165 km/h.
In some areas of Palawan province, near the South China Sea, a second-level threat warning is still in effect.
Meteorologists forecast that the storm will leave the Philippines by Thursday morning and head toward Vietnam.
Kalmaegi has become the twentieth cyclone to affect the country this year and highlights ongoing issues related to corruption scandals involving the embezzlement of billions of pesos allocated for flood prevention projects.
The Philippines, experiencing around twenty powerful storms annually, remains one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world.