The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has climbed to 114, with 127 people still missing, as the storm that devastated the country’s central regions regained strength while heading toward Vietnam, officials said on Thursday.
In the hardest-hit province of Cebu, residents returned to scenes of ruin. Floodwaters that once swallowed entire streets had receded, exposing flattened homes, overturned vehicles, and debris-strewn neighbourhoods.
In Cebu City, 58-year-old Marlon Enriquez tried to salvage what was left of his family’s belongings.
“This was the first time that has happened to us. I’ve been living here for almost 16 years, and it was the first time I’ve experienced flooding like this,” he said.
In nearby Talisay City, 38-year-old Eilene Oken sifted through the wreckage of her home, reduced to splintered wood and twisted metal.
“We worked and saved for this for years, then in an instant, it was all gone,” she said. Still, she expressed gratitude that her family, including her two daughters, escaped unharmed.
Across the region, more than 200,000 people had been evacuated from their homes before the storm struck on Tuesday. Many have now returned to begin the arduous cleanup.
“The challenge now is debris clearing... These need to be cleared immediately, not only to account for the missing who may be among the debris or may have reached safe areas but also to allow relief operations to move forward,” civil defence official Raffy Alejandro told DZBB radio.
Among the dead were six military personnel whose helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur on the island of Mindanao during a humanitarian mission. Another 17 people were injured, the national disaster agency said.
Kalmaegi, locally known as Tino, was the 20th storm to hit the Philippines this year, unleashing landslides, flooding, and power outages across the Visayas region and parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao.
The destruction followed a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in northern Cebu just over a month ago that killed dozens and displaced thousands.
As Kalmaegi moved over the South China Sea, it strengthened again, heading toward Vietnam. Authorities in Gia Lai province said around 350,000 people were expected to be evacuated from the area by midday Thursday amid warnings of heavy rain, flooding, and damaging winds that could disrupt key coffee-growing areas.
Vietnam’s aviation authorities said operations at eight airports, including Da Nang International Airport, could be affected.
Meanwhile, forecasters in the Philippines are tracking another storm developing east of Mindanao that could intensify into a typhoon early next week — a worrying sign for a nation still reeling from Kalmaegi’s destruction.
The United States has warned Oman against supporting any effort to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington would penalise any parties ...
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security,...
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organis...
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings an...
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited...
Rescuers pulled two people from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in the Philippines, raising the death toll to three. Search and rescue operations continued after scans detected signs of life beneath the debris.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called an emergency meeting of senior government and security officials on Thursday after gunfire erupted inside the Senate building in Manila, deepening an escalating political crisis centred on Senator Ronald dela Rosa.
Gunshots erupted at the Philippine Senate in Manila on Wednesday, sending lawmakers, staff and visitors scrambling for cover amid fears Senator Ronald dela Rosa was about to be detained over an International Criminal Court warrant.
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has again been impeached by the country’s lower house, more than a year after an earlier impeachment complaint against her was dismissed on constitutional grounds.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
As climate pressures and urbanisation accelerate worldwide, governments are increasingly investing in smart cities and villages to build more sustainable and resilient communities. Across the world, digital technologies are reshaping how cities and rural areas are planned and managed.
The UK is experiencing potentially record-breaking temperatures after forecasters confirmed some areas reached highs close to 34°C on Monday.
More than 100 people were killed in a violent storm that battered India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with rain and hail, the state Disaster Management and Relief office said on Thursday.
Climate change has driven a record surge in wildfires across Africa, Asia and other regions this year, with scientists warning that conditions are likely to worsen further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño weather patterns intensify.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment