Manilla: The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi that hit the central Philippines on Tuesday has risen to 39 on the island of Cebu, a local government official said.

The deaths were as a result of drowning and people being struck by debris, provincial information officer Ainjeliz Orong said in a phone message. The powerful storm unleashed heavy rains and floods across the region, forcing thousands to evacuate.

In a related incident, a Philippine military helicopter crashed on Tuesday killing six crew members while on a disaster assistance mission following the arrival of Typhoon Kalmaegi, the armed forces said.

The military said a search mission recovered six bodies believed to be those of the pilot and crew of the Huey helicopter on the island of Mindanao. The death toll in the central Ph

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