Typhoon Kalmaegi: Death toll rises to 40 as Philippines hit by flash floods, landslides

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Helicopter crashes during relief mission

In a separate incident, a Philippine air force helicopter carrying five personnel crashed in southern Agusan del Sur province while on a mission to deliver aid to areas hit by the typhoon.

The Super Huey helicopter went down near the town of Loreto, the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command said. Efforts were under way to locate those on board. Officials did not immediately give details about their condition or the cause of the crash.

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Where the typhoon struck

Kalmaegi was last tracked near Jordan town in the central province of Guimaras, with sustained winds of 130 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 180 kph.

It was expected to move towards the South China Sea late Tuesday or early Wednesday after crossing Palawan province.

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How many people died

Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defence, said at least 26 deaths had been reported, many in Cebu province and nearby central islands. “Details of those deaths are still being verified,” he said.

An elderly resident drowned in Southern Leyte, where a power outage was reported after the storm made landfall just after midnight. Another person died when a tree fell in Bohol province, local officials said.

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People trapped and vehicles submerged

Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, said residents in Cebu’s coastal town of Liloan were stranded on their roofs as floods rose.

“We have received so many calls from people asking us to rescue them from roofs and from their houses, but it’s impossible,” Pang told the Associated Press (AP). “There are so many debris, you see cars floating, so we have to wait for the flood to subside.”

Cebu province was still recovering from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on 30 September that killed at least 79 people and damaged many homes.

In Eastern Samar province, strong winds tore off or damaged the roofs of about 300 houses on Homonhon island, part of Guiuan town. Mayor Annaliza Gonzales Kwan said there were no deaths or injuries.

“There was no flooding at all, but just strong wind,” Kwan told AP. “We’re OK. We’ll make this through. We’ve been through a lot, and bigger than this.”

Guiuan was also one of the first areas hit by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and displaced over four million.

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What authorities are doing

Before the storm made landfall, officials said more than 387,000 people had evacuated from eastern and central provinces to safer areas. Authorities had warned of heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surges of up to three metres.

Inter-island ferries and fishing boats were banned from sailing due to rough seas, stranding more than 3,500 passengers and cargo drivers at nearly 100 seaports, the coast guard said. At least 186 domestic flights were cancelled.

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The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and storms each year. The country also lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” making it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

(With inputs from Reuters and AP)