At least 85 people have died, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced as Typhoon Kalmaegi, one of the strongest storms this year, tore through the central Philippines, officials report.
The typhoon caused severe flooding across towns on Cebu, the most populous island in the region, where 49 fatalities have been recorded. Authorities say 75 people remain missing and 17 others were injured as of Wednesday.
Videos emerging from the area show residents taking refuge on rooftops while cars and shipping containers were swept away by raging floodwaters.
The official death toll includes six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed on Mindanao, south of Cebu, while assisting in relief efforts. The aircraft went down near Agusan del Sur on Tuesday and was one of four deployed to aid the affected areas. The Philippine Air Force confirmed that six bodies, believed to be the pilot and crew, have been recovered.
Locally known as Typhoon Tino, the storm has weakened since making landfall early Tuesday but continues to generate winds exceeding 80 mph (130 km/h). It is expected to move across the Visayas islands region before exiting into the South China Sea by Wednesday.
Authorities warn that the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue, while residents face widespread damage and flooding across central Philippine islands.
