Typhoon death toll soars past 90 in Philippines
CEBU
The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines climbed past 90 Wednesday as the devastating impact on hard-hit Cebu province became clearer after the worst flooding in recent memory.
Floodwaters described as unprecedented had rushed through the province's towns and cities a day earlier, sweeping away cars, riverside shanties and even massive shipping containers.
Wednesday, Cebu spokesman Rhon Ramos told AFP that 35 bodies had been recovered from flooded areas of Liloan, a town that is part of provincial capital Cebu City's metro area.
The grim news brought the toll for Cebu to 76. Earlier in the day, national civil defense deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro confirmed at least 17 deaths in other provinces.
"It was the major cities that got hit [with floods], highly urbanized areas," Alejandro said in an interview with local radio, adding that 26 people remained missing.
In the 24 hours before Kalmaegi's landfall, the area around Cebu City was deluged with 183 millimeters of rain, well over its 131-millimeter monthly average, weather specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP.
On Nov. 4, provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro called the situation "unprecedented."
"We were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, but... the water is what's truly putting our people at risk," she told reporters. "The floodwaters are just devastating."
