The crash took place before noon about 270km from the island of Cebu, the worst-hit region, where local authorities said 39 people had drowned or been killed by falling debris. One person was reported dead on the neighbouring island of Bohol.
Photos and videos from the Philippine Red Cross show rescue workers wading through knee-deep floodwaters in Cebu City, using boats to reach stranded residents. Source: Getty / Anadolu
Run of disasters in the Philippines
Although Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has gradually lost strength since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continued to lash the country with winds of 120km/h and gusts of 165km/h as it swept across the Visayas islands headed for northern Palawan and towards the South China Sea.
Floods in Cebu City had subsided late on Tuesday, but power was still out in many places and telecommunications services were intermittent, a Reuters journalist said.
‘The waters kept rising’
The typhoon was expected to leave the Philippines late on Wednesday or early Thursday.
State weather agency PAGASA had earlier warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3 metres high on coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines.
