Typhoon Kalmaegi swept through Vietnam on Friday, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall. The storm caused at least five fatalities, destroyed homes, tore off roofs, and uprooted trees. It later moved into Cambodia.
Recovery efforts began in the affected regions of central Vietnam, where residents worked to clear debris and repair damaged houses. In the Philippines, which suffered heavy losses earlier in the week, communities continued to mourn as they prepared for another approaching typhoon.
In the central Philippine province of Cebu, typhoon-induced flooding caused 139 deaths. Survivors gathered to mourn the victims, including a memorial at a basketball gym converted into a funeral parlor, lined with white coffins adorned with flowers and portraits.
“I told my family to swim, you will be saved, just swim, be brave and keep swimming,” said Jimmy Abatayo, 53, who lost his wife and nine relatives in the floods. “They did not hear what I said because I would never see them again.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national emergency in response to the disaster.
The Philippines is bracing for another typhoon following the devastation caused by Kalmaegi, while Vietnam and Cambodia focus on recovery and rebuilding.