Typhoon Kalmaegi Strikes Philippines, Killing At Least 114 People

Typhoon Kalmaegi struck the Philippines several days ago, but the death toll continues to rise as the impacts of the devastating storm are uncovered.

Kalmaegi began as a tropical depression near Micronesia's Yap Island in the Pacific, moving westward at a steady rate as it strengthened. By the time the typhoon arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday, winds had increased to around 105 mph, along with heavy rain. Over 200,000 people were evacuated prior to the storm's landfall

Kalmaegi's track took it straight through the center of the Philippines, traveling across the Visayas region before emerging into the South China Sea. The popular, tourist-loved island of Cebu was the hardest-hit, with cars washed away, roadways flooded, and homes inundated. As the floodwaters receded, the scale of the damage was revealed, showing vehicles stuck in previously-flooded areas and hundreds of homes decimated by winds.

The largest issue for the country is the waste and debris that the flooding left behind– while waters washed objects downstream, winds whipped up debris that was then strewn everywhere, causing a massive mess. In total, the death toll from the typhoon has reached 114 people with another 127 missing. Authorities fear that the death toll is likely to continue to rise as bodies are discovered, but a new threat is on the way.

As Kalmaegi battered Visayas, another tropical depression formed in the Pacific, and it has begun to strengthen as it moves west on a similar track to Kalmaegi. The new typhoon, named Fung-Wong, could maintain winds of over 130 mph upon landfall, though it is expected to impact the Philippines' northernmost and largest island of Luzon. This will likely bring rain to the already-saturated Visayas region, hindering search-and-rescue efforts and possibly leading to additional flooding.

However, Typhoon Kalmaegi is also not to be disregarded. As it moved through the South China Sea, the storm strengthened, and it is now packing winds of over 125 mph as it approaches southern Vietnam. Over 350,000 people have been evacuated from the province of Gia Lai, which is expected to bear the brunt of the landfall along with its surrounding regions. Additionally, Vietnam has already been handling severe flooding this week, which have killed over 35 people– the ground is extremely saturated already, and Kalmaegi could have a catastrophic impact. Storm surge of around 26 feet is expected as well.

Unfortunately, the frequency and intensity of these storms continues to rise with the amplification of climate change. As humans emit more greenhouse gases, the Earth continues to heat up, leading to warmer waters across the globe. Tropical systems feed off of warm water, allowing them to strengthen and form more often. Kalmaegi is already the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, and another is already on the way.

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Image credit to AP