Typhoon kills 85 people, displaces 500,000, leaves 75 more missing in Philippines

ISTANBUL

At least 85 people were killed, and 75 others remained missing after Typhoon Kalmaegi struck the Philippines and displaced more than 500,000 people, officials said on Wednesday.

The Office of Civil Defense said that in addition to the 85 confirmed deaths, 28 others were also reportedly killed, with their causes yet to be determined, according to the GMA Network.

Most fatalities were reported from Central Visayas, the worst-hit region in the country.

Central Visayas, located in the central Philippines, is an administrative region that includes the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

Authorities said that 17 people have been injured in different areas, while more than 1.2 million people were also affected by the severe weather.

Heavy flooding and landslides have also cut off roads in remote areas, while some municipalities experienced power outages, authorities said.

Videos and images in local media showed massive flooding and destruction in several regions in the Philippines, including parts of Cebu province.

The devastation comes just a month after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck northern Cebu, killing many people and displacing thousands.

Authorities said relief efforts are ongoing, as rescue teams work to reach remote areas cut off by floodwaters and landslides.

Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, made two landfalls since early Tuesday in the central island of Visayas.

Tino is expected to leave the Philippine "area of responsibility," monitored by the country's meteorological agency, on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, while it is expected to regain strength over the South China Sea before heading toward Vietnam, where authorities are preparing for its arrival on Friday.

Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities on Wednesday warned of heavy rain that could hit several cities across the country, while a search operation for the missing people continues in Papua.

Over 20 residents went missing a day earlier after flash floods struck two sub-districts in Nduga District, Highland Papua, Indonesia, according to state-run news agency Antara. Fifteen of them have been confirmed dead, while the search for the eight missing continues, according to the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB).