Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed 114, with 127 people still missing, as confirmed by the Philippines’ National Disaster Agency on Thursday, November 6.
The storm caused catastrophic flooding and landslides across the central islands and has now strengthened over the South China Sea as it moves towards a threatened landfall in central Vietnam.
The extent of the devastation was very clearly seen in the Philippines as the floods receded, leaving smashed houses, upturned cars and streets littered with mud and debris in their wake.
Cebu, an equally devastated province, bore the brunt of the storm, resulting in at least 71 deaths.
Clearing the debris is the new challenge now, according to Raffy Alejandro, a senior civil defense official, in a radio interview.
“These must be cleared immediately, not only to account for those missing who may be among the debris… but also to allow relief operations to proceed,” he added.
A province hit by double disasters
For the people of Cebu, Kalmaegi (locally referred to as Tino) was a disaster for an area that was not yet underway.
According to Governor Pamela Baricuatro, the floods were not predicted and hit the communities within minutes.
An exclusive riverside community in Cebu City has been transformed into a landscape of desolation, and its rescue volunteer Caloy Ramirez shared how this community had been transformed into a recognizable environment.
The storm gathers again, threatens Vietnam’s coffee belt
The typhoon is now moving towards the western side as the Philippines begins the arduous task of recovery. Typhoon Kalmaegi is forecast to hit central Vietnam, bringing damaging winds and rain that could lead to severe flooding in the lowlands.
Vietnam is fielding its troops in large groups and is already beginning mass evacuations with around 350,000 people expected to move to safety in Gia Lai province alone.
The hurricane will affect the major coffee-producing areas during the main harvest period, raising concerns about the possibility of major agricultural upheaval.
Recent days of unprecedented rainfall in the area continue to rock the area with flash floods and landslides.
New Storm Brewing in the Philippines is still on alert
In a worrying development for the storm-hit archipelago, Philippine weather forecasters are already monitoring another disturbance in the eastern side of Mindanao. The brewing storm could intensify into a typhoon, leading to concerns of another possible hit early next week.
The Philippines, hit by an average of 20 storms each year and located on the seismically active ring of fire in the Pacific Ocean, is always second on the list of the most vulnerable countries worldwide.
