Phillippines Announces Emergency As Typhoon Kalmaegi Claims 116 Lives So Far

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency after 116 people died in typhoon Kalmaegi. The South Asian nation is facing the deadliest typhoon in a year.

Marcos declared the emergency during a meeting with the disaster-response officials, who are assessing the aftermath of the typhoon. The announcement of an emergency will support the Philippine Government to disburse emergency funds faster and prevent food hoarding and overpricing.

As the nation deals with the aftermath of the deadly typhoon, two Phillippine senators and two other former lawmakers will likely face grave charges over a corruption scandal in flood infrastructure, Bloomberg reported.

Kalmaegi has not only claimed lives but also displaced half a million people in the Philippines. Many people were trapped to rooftops of their home because of a widespread flood, Bloomberg reported.

The typhoon has flooded the island's most populated town, Cebu, where 71 people were reported dead. Another 127 are missing and 82 are injured according to officials, as BBC reported.

A Philippines Air Force chopper, which was deployed to rescue people, crashed and killed six crew members abroad. Around 26 people are still missing, according to Civil Defense officials, as quoted by news reports.

The deadliest typhoon left the Philippines early Thursday. It is advancing towards the central Vietnam, where residents are still dealing with the trail of destruction left behind by floods which claimed dozen lives.

However, Philippines still has the second-highest alert in a five-level typhoon warning system in the northern most part of Palawan province near the South China Sea.

A new tropical cyclone is expected to hit Philippines and may develop into super typhoon category on Nov 8, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration said. The agency warned of a 'life-threatening stormy conditions' will likely occur over the main Luzon island early next week.