Manila: Typhoon Kalmaegi has left at least 66 people dead and 26 others missing in the central Philippines, many due to widespread flooding, officials said on Wednesday. The typhoon moved away from western Palawan province into the South China Sea before noon on Wednesday, with sustained winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching 180 kilometres per hour, according to forecasters.

According to Emirates News Agency, most of the deaths were reported in the central province of Cebu, which was pummeled by Kalmaegi on Tuesday. The typhoon set off flash floods and caused a river and other waterways to swell. The resulting flooding engulfed residential communities, forcing residents to climb up to their roofs, where they pleaded to be rescued as the floodwaters rose.

At least 49 people, mostly victims of drowning, were reported dead due to the floods. A few others lost their lives due to landslides and falling debris in Cebu, where 13 of the 26 missing were reported, as confirmed by the Office of Civil Defence on Wednesday.