Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least 188 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam, according to updated figures released by officials in both countries. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency early Thursday after the storm caused widespread devastation, including heavy casualties, severe damage to property, and disruption of livelihoods across affected regions. Strong winds uprooted trees, tore off roofs, and shattered windows, while thousands of residents sought refuge in schools and public buildings. The military has been deployed to assist with rescue

Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least 188 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam, according to updated figures released by officials in both countries. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency early Thursday after the storm caused widespread devastation, including heavy casualties, severe damage to property, and disruption of livelihoods across affected regions. Strong winds uprooted trees, tore off roofs, and shattered windows, while thousands of residents sought refuge in schools and public buildings. The military has been deployed to assist with rescue and recovery operations. Earlier this week, torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods that destroyed several communities in the Philippines, particularly in poorer areas where homes were made from light materials. Many neighbourhoods were completely swept away. The death toll on Friday rose sharply from 114 reported the previous day, with another 135 people still missing. Authorities have since declared a state of calamity nationwide as the country braces for another typhoon forming over the Pacific Ocean. In neighbouring Vietnam, the military has mobilized more than 260,000 personnel, 6,700 vehicles, and six aircraft to support emergency response efforts. Airports and major roads were closed, and hundreds of thousands of residents were evacuated before the storm made landfall. Kalmaegi, known locally in Vietnam as Typhoon Tino, battered central provinces on Thursday with winds reaching 149 km/h (92 mph) before moving west toward Cambodia and Laos. Coastal towns in central Vietnam were left covered in debris after the storm passed overnight. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held an emergency online meeting to coordinate relief operations. “We must reach isolated areas and ensure people have food, clean water, and essential supplies,” he said. “No one should be left hungry or cold.” Typhoon Kalmaegi is among the deadliest storms to hit the region this year. Typhoons are powerful tropical cyclones that form over the northwest Pacific Ocean the same type of storm known as a hurricane in the Atlantic or a cyclone in the Indian Ocean.

Typhoon Kalmaegi is among the deadliest storms to hit the region this year.

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