14 families, including 3-month-old baby, seek shelter inside drainage canal as Typhoon Kalmaegi hits Philippines

14 families shield themselves from Typhoon Kalmaegi by hiding inside drainage canal

14 families in the province of Dinagat Islands sought refuge in a drainage canal as Typhoon Kalmaegi struck Eastern Visayas and the northern portion of Mindanao in the Philippines on Monday (3 Nov).

According to the Daily Tribune, the residents who hid in the canal due to strong winds and heavy rainfall included children and even a three-month-old baby.

Source: Rudelyn Dayon via Daily Tribune on Facebook

From early evening on 3 Nov to the early hours of 4 Nov, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 — which meant wind speeds of 118 to 184km/h — was raised in the Dinagat Islands.

The province was also forecast to experience over 200mm of rainfall, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Families emerge from canal safely

Many netizens expressed worry about the residents’ — especially the infant’s — safety, raising concerns that they may get swept away by floodwaters inside the canal.

Some urged the residents to call for rescue, while others criticised them for not evacuating before the typhoon’s onslaught.

However, Rudelyn Dayon, who originally posted about the incident, assured that the canal was out of the flood’s way.