Philippines: More than 240 dead and missing after Typhoon Kalmagui; authorities declare state of emergency.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency after Typhoon Kalmagui left at least 241 people dead or missing.

Cebu Island bore the brunt of the casualties, with 39 people dying from drowning or falling debris, while one death was reported on the neighboring island of Bohol.

The death toll rose sharply as information poured in from ongoing relief efforts.

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This typhoon comes as the Philippines is still recovering from a series of natural disasters in recent months, including earthquakes and severe storms.

The country is regularly hit by about 20 tropical storms a year.While the typhoon, known locally as Tino, has begun to weaken after moving across coastal areas, it is still packing winds of up to 120 km/h and gusts of up to 165 km/h.

Tens of thousands of residents in the Visayas, southern Luzon, and northern Mindanao regions were evacuated in anticipation of the storm.

Meanwhile, the Philippine military reported that a Huey helicopter conducting a humanitarian relief mission in Agusan del Sur, Mindanao, crashed.

The bodies of the six crew members have been recovered, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.

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📚 Sources & Further Reading

• Al Jazeera – Philippines declares emergency after deadly Typhoon Kalmagui

• Rappler – Typhoon ‘Tino’ leaves 240+ dead or missing across Visayas, Luzon, and Mindanao

• Philippine Daily Inquirer – State of Emergency in Cebu: Mass casualties confirmed

• Reuters – Philippine rescue chopper crashes amid typhoon relief mission

• AFP – Over 200 dead, widespread flooding in aftermath of Philippines storm

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