The President of the Philippines declared a state of emergency – Mehr News Agency RCO News Agency

According to Mehr news agency, quoted by Al Jazeera, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency in the central provinces of the country after announcing that at least 241 people were killed and missing as a result of Cyclone Kalmaygi. This typhoon has been described as the worst natural disaster in the Philippines this year.

Philippine officials said the typhoon killed at least 114 people, most drowned in flash floods. Another 127 people are still missing, most of them in the worst-hit Cebu province.

Typhoon Kalmaigi crossed the Philippines on Wednesday. The state of emergency was declared during Marcos’ meeting with disaster management officials to assess the storm’s damage. He pointed out that this decision allows the government to pay the emergency budget faster and prevent the hoarding of food and increasing their prices.

The Philippine government announced that the typhoon has affected about 2 million people and displaced more than 560,000 villagers, of which about 450,000 have been moved to emergency shelters.

About 20 typhoons hit or approach the Philippines every year. These storms often do the most damage to the poorest areas of the country.