Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of disaster after Typhoon Kalmaegi, one of the most powerful typhoons of the year, caused severe flooding in the central Philippines, killing at least 114 people.
The storm flooded entire villages in Cebu, the region’s most populous island, and 71 people were reported dead. Another 127 people were missing and 82 were injured, according to officials.
Cebu provincial authorities reported 28 additional deaths, which were not included in the tally released by the Civil Defense Department, according to AFP.
Calmaegi left the Philippines on Thursday morning and is heading to central Vietnam, where residents are still struggling with floods that have killed dozens of people.
President Marcos Jr. told reporters on Thursday that the decision was made because of the damage caused by Typhoon Kalmae and the prospect of another storm, Umbrella, expected to hit the country over the weekend.
“Almost 10 districts, about 10 to 12 districts, will be affected. So if it involves that many districts on that scale, it would be a national disaster,” he told local media.
In the Philippines, a state of disaster refers to a condition that includes mass casualties, property damage, and disruption of livelihoods and normal ways of life for residents of affected areas.
This will give government agencies more power to access emergency funds and quickly procure and deliver essential goods and services to those who need them.
Most deaths in the Philippines are due to drowning, according to reports. The storm sent torrents of mud down the hills and into towns and cities.
Damage to residential areas of Cebu was extensive, with many small buildings swept away and receding flood waters leaving behind a thick carpet of mud.
AFP via Getty ImagesLocal officials described the damage caused by the storm as “unprecedented.”
Residents returning to their destroyed homes are reeling from deadly flooding earlier this week.
Mandaue City-based businessman Jel-an Moira Servas told the BBC he was up to his waist in water within minutes when his home was flooded. She quickly evacuated with her family, taking only light items such as food and electronics.
“Now the rain has completely stopped and the sun is up, but my house is still full of mud and everything inside is a mess,” she said. “We don’t even know where to start cleaning up. It doesn’t make me cry.”
The National Disaster and Safety Administration announced that more than 400,000 people were displaced by this disaster in Cebu, where 2.5 million people live.
The official death toll also includes six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed on the southern island of Mindanao in Cebu on Tuesday after being deployed to support relief efforts.
Rescue volunteer Carlos Jose Lañas told the BBC that although he had prepared for the worst, the scale of the flooding had caught him off guard.
“This is the worst flooding I’ve ever experienced,” the 19-year-old said. “Almost all the rivers here in Cebu have flooded. Even the emergency responders did not expect this.”
“There were so many people around Cebu asking for help that the rescue effort was too burdensome.”
Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, is the 20th tropical cyclone this year to hit the Philippines, where powerful storms frequently occur.
It comes just a month after a series of typhoons killed more than a dozen people and damaged infrastructure and crops.
Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, struck in late September, quickly followed by Typhoon Bualoi, locally known as Opong.
A few months ago, an unusually wet monsoon season led to widespread flooding, sparking anger and protests over an unfinished and substandard flood control system that has been blamed for corruption.
Typhoon Kalmaegi left the Philippines at 0:30 a.m. (local time) on Thursday.
It has since been strengthened, with maximum sustained wind speeds increasing from 150 km/h to 155 km/h.
According to forecasts, it is expected to make landfall in central Vietnam on Friday morning. More than 50 flights were canceled or rescheduled.
Vietnam is already battling a week of flooding and record rains that have burst river banks and inundated some of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.
Thailand is also bracing for the impact of the storm, with local officials warning of the possibility of flash floods, landslides and river flooding due to Kalmaegi.
