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Helicopter crashes in Philippines during typhoon relief operations: Report
No official word has been released on the number of casualties or the extent of the damages incurred in the crash.
The Philippine military on Tuesday said that one of its helicopters deployed for relief operations in areas hit by Typhoon Kalmaegi crashed in northern Mindanao island. However, it did not reveal if there were any survivors.
The helicopter was one of the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) remaining few UH-1H Super Huey utility helicopters. The aircraft crashed while it was on its way to the coastal city of Butuan, "in support of relief operations" related to the powerful storm, news agency AFP reported, citing the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The regional command centre said that search and recovery operations were underway.
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma Christina Basco earlier said the aircraft, which crashed in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, was part of the air force's four helicopters that were deployed from Davao to carry out a Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) mission, local media outlet Manila Bulletin reported.
The Super Huey helicopter reportedly lost communication with the PAF near the area of the Philippine Army's 60th Infantry Battalion, resulting in the prompt launch of search and rescue efforts.
However, no official statement regarding the possible casualties or the personnel onboard has been released.
Basco said, "We are praying for the safety of the pilots and crew involved in this unfortunate air mishap," adding that a full investigation into the crash will take place once the wreckage is located.
Typhoon Kalmaegi
At least five people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were displaced as rain triggered by Typhoon Kalmaegi flooded swathes of the central Philippines on Tuesday.
In the 24 hours before the typhoon's landfall, the area around provincial capital Cebu City was covered with 183 millimetres of rain, well over its 131-mm monthly average, AFP reported, citing state weather specialist Charmagne Varilla.
Provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro said that the situation in Cebu is "really unprecedented". She said in a Facebook post that they were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, adding that "the water is what's truly putting our people at risk".
"The floodwaters are just devastating," Baricuatro added.
Scientists have warned that such storms are growing powerful due to human-driven climate change. Warmer oceans allow typhoons to intensify rapidly, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, meaning heavier rainfall.
The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, striking disaster-prone areas where millions live in poor conditions.
The country has already reached its yearly average with typhoon Kalmaegi. However, weather specialist Varilla told AFP that at least "three to five more" storms could be expected by December's end.
