At least 85 were killed in the Philippines as the typhoon wreaked havoc

At least 85 People have been killed as hundreds of thousands fled their homes as this year’s strongest typhoon hit Central Philippines, authorities said.

Typhoon Kalmaegi flooded entire towns in the most populous central island of Cebu, where at least 49 of the deaths were located. There are 75 others missing and 17 injured, officials said Wednesday.

Videos show people spinning on rooftops, while cars and shipping containers are driven through the streets.

The official death toll, which is likely to rise, includes Six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed on the island of Mindanao, south of Cebu, after it targeted to assist in relief efforts.

The plane went down on Tuesday near Agusan del Sur and was one of four sent to help.

“Communication with the helicopter was lost, which immediately prompted the launch of a search and rescue operation,” the Philippine Air Force said. Later, a spokesman said six bodies were recovered, believed to be a pilot and crew.

The storm, named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early Tuesday, but continues to pack winds of more than 80mph (h).

It is forecast to move across the Visayas region and out of the South China Sea on Wednesday.

But the residents of the entire province of Cebu are still recovering from the deadly floods. More than 400,000 people have been displaced by the disaster, according to a report on Wednesday by the National Disaster Agency.

Jel-a Moira Servas, a business owner who lives in Mandaue City, told the BBC that she found herself away from the water for several minutes when her house was flooded. He quickly evacuated his family, taking only light items such as food and electronics.

“Today, the rain has completely stopped and the sun is gone, but our houses are still covered in mud, and everything inside is in shambles,” he said. “We don’t even know where to start cleaning. I can’t watch it without crying.”

Rafaelito Alejandro, the Deputy Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense told the local radio station that the current challenge for the rescuers is the rescuers who clear the “road pavements”.

Carlos Jose Lañas, a volunteer rescuer, told the BBC that despite preparing for the worst case, they were caught off guard by the extent of the flooding.

“This is the worst flooding I’ve ever experienced,” the 19-year-old said. “Almost all the rivers here in Cebu are overflowing. Even the emergency responders did not expect this kind of scenario.”

“The rescue operation is too much for emergency responders in Cebu, because many people are asking for help.”

In a Facebook Post, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro described the disaster as “unprecedented”.

“We expect the winds to be the dangerous part, but … the water is what really puts our people at risk,” he said. “The floods are just cold.”

Baricuatro declared a state of calamity in Cebu on Tuesday night to expedite disaster relief efforts.

Most of the deaths were due to drowning, reports said. The storm sent torrents of muddy water over the hills and into towns and cities.

Damage to residential areas in Cebu was widespread, with many small buildings lost and a thick carpet of mud left behind by the flood. Rescue teams brought in boats to rescue people trapped inside their homes.

Don Del Rosario, 28, was one of the residents of Ciudad City who took refuge on the upper floor as the typhoon was forming.

“I’ve been here for 28 years, and this is the worst we’ve ever experienced,” he told AFP News Agency.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons and typhoons every year.

The latest comes nearly a month after back-to-back typhoons killed a dozen people and damaged infrastructure and crops.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, hit in late September, followed immediately by typhoon Bualoi, known locally.

In the months before, a particularly wet monsoon season caused flooding, The entry of anger and protests before completed and sub-standard flood control systems blamed on corruption.

On September 30, DODZEN was killed and wounded After a strong 699 magnitude earthquake hit the center of the Philippines, Cebu was devastated by the damage.

Typhoon Kalmaegi is predicted to continue in Vietnam, which has already seen record-breaking rain.

With additional reporting by Jonathan Head, South East Asia Celleart