Manila: Typhoon Kalmaegi has caused the deaths of at least 26 people in the Philippines, primarily due to flooding across the central part of the country, disaster officials reported. The storm triggered widespread flooding, trapping many residents on rooftops and submerging vehicles. Cebu province and other central islands were among the worst affected, with power outages and extensive damage reported.

In a related incident, a Philippine Air Force Super Huey helicopter crashed near Loreto town in southern Agusan del Sur province while on a humanitarian mission to support typhoon-hit areas. The Eastern Mindanao Command confirmed ongoing efforts to locate the five personnel aboard, but detailed information on the crew's condition and the crash cause has not yet been released.

Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, was last tracked near coastal waters off Jordan in Guimaras with sustained winds of 130 kph and gusts up to 180 kph before moving toward the South China Sea. Prior to and during the storm, over 387,000 people were evacuated, and transportation disruptions included the cancellation of flights and maritime travel restrictions. The typhoon has compounded the challenges faced by the region, which is also recovering from a recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Cebu. The Philippines regularly faces about 20 typhoons annually, along with frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries globally.

With inputs from AP