MANILA: One person was killed when Typhoon Kalmaegi hit the central Philippines on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as torrential rains, strong winds and storm surges forced tens of thousands to evacuate from their homes.
With sustained winds of 150 kph and gusts of up to 205 kph when it made landfall early on Tuesday, Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, is forecast to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of residents were evacuated across the Visayas region, including parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, and one person had died, the national disaster agency reported.
A video on DZRH radio’s Facebook page showed homes in Talisay City completely submerged, with only rooftops visible. Similar scenes in parts of Cebu City, where vehicles and streets were underwater, circulated on social media.
State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rains and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.
“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.
More than 160 flights to and from affected areas have been canceled, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbor immediately and to stay in port.
PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach over 3 meters high along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao. Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters including earthquakes and severe weather events in recent months. In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, forcing government work and classes to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.
One dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi dumps heavy rains over central Philippines
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One dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi dumps heavy rains over central Philippines
- Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, is forecast to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday
- State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rains and strong winds
Chaos erupts at Indian airports as country’s largest airline cancels flights
- The Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement that the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgment and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules
NEW DELHI: Chaos gripped major Indian airports Friday as passengers of the country’s biggest airline, IndiGo, scrambled to cope up with widespread flight disruptions and cancelations triggered by newly enforced rules limiting working hours for crew and pilots.
Scenes of frustration played out as passengers slept on airport floors, queued for hours at customer service counters and waited without clear communication from the airline.
Friday was the fourth straight day of disruptions as the low cost carrier struggles with new regulations that mandate longer rest periods and limit night flying hours to address concerns about fatigue and safety.
The first phase of the rules came into effect in July while the second phase kicked in November. IndiGo struggled to adapt its rosters in time, resulting in widespread cancelations and disruptions.
On Thursday, more than 300 IndiGo flights were grounded while several hundreds delayed. A passenger advisory from the Delhi airport Friday stated that all domestic IndiGo flights will remain canceled until midnight. Other major airlines, including Air India, have not faced similar issues so far.
IndiGo operates around 2,300 flights daily and controls nearly 65 percent of India’s domestic aviation market.
Senior citizen Sajal Bose was scheduled to travel with his wife Senjuti Bose early Friday from Kolkata to New Delhi to attend a friend’s silver jubilee celebration. His flight was canceled an hour before the scheduled take off.
Bose told The Associated Press he was now taking a nine-hour train ride to the city Bagdogra, where he plans to get a flight to New Delhi on another airline. “Its very irresponsible and complete negligence. Very difficult for older people like us,” he said.
In an internal email to employees this week, seen by The Associated Press, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologized, and cited technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion and the implementation of the new rules as the reasons for flight disruptions.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement that the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgment and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules, and that the airline acknowledged that the effect on crew strength exceeded their expectations.
IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions in implementing the new rules and told the government that corrective measures were underway. It has indicated the operations will be fully restored by Feb. 10.
More cancelations are expected in the next couple of weeks, and the airline said it would reduce its flight operations from Dec. 8 to minimize disruptions.
