Philippines Typhoon Kills Dozens; Churches Shelter Evacuees

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

MANILA/CEBU CITY (Worthy News) – The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, climbed sharply Tuesday as at least 26 people were confirmed dead and hundreds of thousands displaced across the central Philippines, authorities said.

Floodwaters trapped residents on rooftops and submerged cars, including in Cebu, one of the country’s main central islands and provinces, Worthy News learned.

“Cebu is a mess now. It’s my second time experiencing super typhoons here like Odette, but this time is different,” said Christian aid worker Merry Joy Osman, speaking from Cebu City.

She urged prayers as “all-in-one flooding is everywhere.”

“Landslides have damaged a boarding home,” added the mother of one. “Thanks God [my young daughter] Ash and I are safe,” Osman told Worthy News.

HELICOPTER CRASH DURING RELIEF MISSION

She spoke while news emerged that relief efforts were strenuous as a Philippine Air Force Super Huey helicopter with five personnel on board crashed Tuesday in southern Agusan del Sur province while flying to deliver humanitarian aid to storm-hit regions, the military confirmed.

The aircraft went down near Loreto town, and search operations were ongoing, the Eastern Mindanao Command said. Officials did not immediately release the condition of those aboard or the cause of the crash.

Amid the devastation, there were also signs of hope:
The Archdiocese of Cebu, under Archbishop Alberto Uy, directed parish priests to open church buildings as temporary shelters for families displaced by flooding, according to an official statement released Tuesday.

The Archdiocese asked parishes unaffected by structural damage from last month’s earthquake to host evacuees and coordinate with local authorities, a reminder of the Catholic Church’s influence in this heavily Catholic nation.

WIDESPREAD FLOODING AND RESCUE EFFORTS

Videos verified by Worthy News and posted on DZRH Radio’s page on social media outlet Facebook showed entire neighborhoods in Talisay City, south of Cebu, submerged with only rooftops visible.

Other footage captured residents along Consolacion Highway banding together to rescue a cow swept away by raging floodwaters.

Authorities said torrential rains, strong winds, and storm surges forced more than 387,000 people from their homes across the Visayas region and neighboring provinces.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed the 26 fatalities, warning that the toll could rise as rescue teams reach isolated communities.

20TH TYPHOON OF THE YEAR

Kalmaegi made landfall early Tuesday with sustained winds of about 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) and gusts up to 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour), said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Flights and ferry services were suspended, and widespread power outages were reported in Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Leyte.

PAGASA said the storm — the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year — was expected to move westward across the Visayas and exit into the South China Sea by Wednesday while maintaining typhoon strength.

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