Typhoon Kalmaegi has claimed the lives of 114 people and 127 people are still missing, the Philippine national disaster agency confirmed on Thursday, November 6.
The storm caused catastrophic flooding and landslides in the central islands and has now gained strength over the South China Sea as it moves toward a threatened landfall in central Vietnam.
The magnitude of the destruction was seen most vividly in the Philippines as floodwaters receded, leaving in their wake crushed houses, overturned cars and streets littered with mud and debris.
Cebu, an equally devastated province, bore the brunt of the storm, which killed at least 71 people.
Removing the debris is the new challenge now, according to Raffy Alejandro, a senior civil defense official, in a radio interview.
“It is necessary to clear them immediately, not only to account for those missing who may be in the rubble… but also to allow relief operations to progress,” he added.
A province reeling from two disasters
For the people of Cebu, Kalmaegi (locally known as Tino) was a disaster for an area that had not yet recovered.
According to Governor Pamela Baricuatro, the flash floods were unforeseen and affected the communities in a matter of minutes.
An exclusive riverside community in Cebu City has become a landscape of desolation, and its rescue volunteer Caloy Ramirez told how this community had become a recognizable environment.
Storm regroups and 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 expected to hit central Vietnam, bringing devastating winds and rain, which may cause severe flooding in lowlands.
Vietnam is deploying its troops in large groups and already beginning mass evacuations; Some 350,000 people are expected to move to safety in Gia Lai province alone.
The hurricane will affect the main coffee-producing areas in the most important harvest period, raising concerns about the possibility of a major agricultural earthquake.
The past few days of unprecedented rain in the area continue to shake the area with flash floods and landslides.
New storm brewing in the Philippines remains on alert
In a worrying development for the already storm-hit archipelago, Philippine meteorologists are already monitoring another disturbance on the eastern side of Mindanao. The approaching storm may intensify into a typhoon, raising concerns of another possible strike early next week.
The Philippines, which experiences an average of 20 storms each year and is located in the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, consistently ranks second on the list of most disaster-prone countries in the world.
