State of emergency declared after Typhoon Kalmaegi kills at least 114 in the Philippines - Assalamu Alaikum
Assalamu Alaikum. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a state of national emergency after Typhoon Kalmaegi left at least 114 people dead and hundreds missing in the central provinces - the deadliest disaster there this year. Most fatalities were from drowning in sudden flash floods, and about 127 people remain missing, many in the hard-hit province of Cebu. The cyclone moved out into the South China Sea on Wednesday.
Nearly 2 million people were affected and over 560,000 villagers were displaced, including close to 450,000 who were moved to emergency shelters, according to the Office of Civil Defense. The emergency declaration made during a meeting with disaster-response officials will allow the government to release funds more quickly and try to prevent food hoarding and price gouging.
Officials warned another cyclone in the Pacific could strengthen into a super typhoon and threaten northern parts of the country early next week, adding to the strain on response teams. Among those killed in Kalmaegi’s aftermath were six people who died when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur while en route to deliver humanitarian aid; the military did not immediately give a cause for the crash.
Cebu was hit hard as flash floods and swollen rivers inundated communities, forcing people onto rooftops to call for rescue. At least 71 deaths were reported in Cebu, mostly from drowning, with dozens missing and injured. Nearby Negros Occidental also reported many missing. Local officials said unexpected flash floods, years of quarrying that clogged rivers, and poor flood-control work may have made the situation worse.
The country was already reeling from a 6.9 magnitude quake on Sept. 30 that killed dozens and displaced many. Some northern Cebu residents who had been moved from flimsy tents into sturdier shelters after the earthquake were spared the worst of the flooding, officials said.
Ferries and fishing boats were banned from sailing as seas grew rough, leaving more than 3,500 passengers and drivers stranded at nearly 100 ports. At least 186 domestic flights were canceled. The Philippines typically faces about 20 typhoons and storms a year and is also prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.
May Allah grant patience to those affected, protect the rescuers, and ease the suffering of the families. Please keep them in your duas.
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