At Least 40 Dead After Typhoon Causes Fatal Helicopter Crash, Leaves Flood Survivors Stranded on Rooftops

Dozens of people have been killed after Typhoon Kalmaegi struck the Philippines and began moving toward Vietnam.

Disaster response officials said the storm swept through the central Philippines on Tuesday, Nov. 4, bringing sustained winds of 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts up to 180 kph (112 mph), according to the Associated Press.

The BBC reported that at least 40 deaths have been confirmed, while Reuters noted that the toll could rise to as many as 46. Among the casualties were six people who died when a Philippine air force helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur province during a humanitarian mission, according to both outlets. Their bodies have been recovered.

The island of Cebu was hit hardest, with local authorities reporting that 39 people died, mostly from drowning or falling debris. Witnesses described residents climbing onto rooftops as floodwaters surged through streets, sweeping away smaller structures.

“We have received so many calls from people asking us to rescue them from roofs and from their houses, but it’s impossible,” said Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, in a statement to the Associated Press. “There are so many debris, you see cars floating so we have to wait for the flood to subside.”

The storm has displaced hundreds of thousands and destroyed homes across the region. The death toll is expected to climb further as Typhoon Kalmaegi continues to move away from the Philippines and toward Vietnam, which recently endured severe flooding that claimed nearly 40 lives, according to the Associated Press.

Reuters reported that Kalmaegi is gaining strength and is forecast to make landfall in Vietnam on the night of Thursday, Nov. 6.