The crash of a humanitarian helicopter in the Philippines on Tuesday, November 4, 2024, killed at least 19 people and left seven missing . The aircraft was participating in relief operations on the southern island of Mindanao following the devastating passage of Typhoon Kalmaegi .

The army stated that the helicopter was on a "rescue support mission" and was attempting to reach the city of Butuan when it crashed. According to local authorities, the victims died "primarily from drowning or as a result of falling trees ." Thousands of residents had been evacuated from danger zones since Sunday in anticipation of the typhoon.

The overall toll of the typhoon is rising.

This tragedy adds to the already grim toll of the devastating floods caused by Kalmaegi. Earlier in the day, the Philippine Civil Defense reported a provisional death toll of 26 and nearly 40,000 injuries across the country, particularly in the central region.

1. In Cebu City (eastern Philippines), the bodies of two children have been recovered, as confirmed by local rescue chief Ethel Minoza. Rescue efforts continue to reach residents trapped by the rising floodwaters.
2. Three more deaths have been confirmed in the central provinces of Leyte and Bohol , including an elderly woman who drowned and a man killed by a falling tree.

This typhoon serves as a reminder of the archipelago's vulnerability to extreme weather events. Last July , Typhoon Wipha caused significant flooding near Manila, leading to the evacuation of some 50,000 people and the closure of schools and administrative buildings.