The death toll from Typhoon 'Kalmaegi' in the Philippines rose to 66 on Wednesday as residents of the hardest-hit province of Cebu began to clear away the flood-damaged homes and businesses, LETA reported citing AFP.
An unprecedented flood struck cities, sweeping away cars and even shipping containers.
In Cebu province, 49 fatalities have been reported, said Deputy Civil Defense Administrator Rafaelito Alejandro in an interview with local radio station DZMM.
"[The flood] affected megacities, areas with a high degree of urbanization," Alejandro said, adding that 26 people are listed as missing.
"The floodwater levels have decreased everywhere. Our task now is to clear the debris blocking the roads," he noted.
In the 24 hours leading up to 'Kalmaegi' making landfall near Cebu City, 183 millimeters of rainfall was recorded, significantly exceeding the average monthly norm of 131 millimeters, meteorologist Charmayne Varilla reported.
Governor of the province Pamela Baricuatro declared a "unprecedented" situation on Tuesday, noting that "the floodwaters are simply devastating."
Before the typhoon reached the Philippines, 400,000 people were evacuated from its expected impact zone.
On Wednesday morning, the typhoon was moving westward toward the tourist areas of Palawan province. Wind speeds were recorded at 120 kilometers per hour (33 meters per second), with gusts up to 165 kilometers per hour (36 meters per second).
The Philippines suffers an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year. In September, the country was already hit by two powerful storms, including Super Typhoon 'Ragasa,' which later claimed 14 lives in Taiwan.
