Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least 114 people and left more than 100 missing in the central Philippines, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a state of national calamity on Thursday. The typhoon, the deadliest to strike the country this year, caused widespread flash floods and devastation, particularly in Cebu province, where 71 deaths and 65 missing were reported.

The tropical cyclone moved out of the Philippines on Wednesday, entering the South China Sea, and authorities in Vietnam braced for its arrival. Ho Chi Minh City could face severe flooding as heavy rainfall coincides with high tides along the Saigon River, with parts of the city expecting up to 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain.

In the Philippines, nearly 2 million people were affected, and more than 560,000 residents were displaced, including nearly 450,000 moved to emergency shelters. Marcos said the emergency declaration would allow faster disbursement of relief funds and prevent food hoarding and price surges.

Typhoon Kalmaegi kills 52 in Philippines, province still reeling from deadly quake

The typhoon also caused a Philippine Air Force helicopter to crash in Agusan del Sur, killing six crew members who were on a humanitarian mission. Cebu faced flash floods after one-and-a-half months’ worth of rain fell in a single day, submerging neighborhoods and sweeping away vehicles. Local officials cited river clogging from quarrying and inadequate flood control projects as factors that worsened the disaster.

Recovery is complicated as Cebu is still rebuilding from a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on September 30, which killed 79 people. Disaster authorities warned that another Pacific cyclone could intensify into a super typhoon and hit northern Philippines next week.

Source: AP