By: Shirley T. Kimmayong, HEA Communications Specialist
Rocelyn de los Santos has just suffered an unimaginable loss. Two of her children and her husband were among the casualties of a landslide caused by Typhoon Kujira in Hubo village, Magallanes, Sorsogon province, Bicol region.
"I could feel my two children holding my feet but I could not do anything to save them, or my husband either, because the mud was already up to my chest," said Rocelyn, 50, on Monday.
She was spared as one of her children dragged her to safety.
The landslide, caused by the heavy rains of Typhoon Kujira across Bicol region this weekend, occurred around 3am on Sunday May 2. It buried the homes of 20 families and killed 14 people. In Hubo alone 186 families were affected.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council states that more than 43,000 families or 236,887 people have been affected by Typhoon Kujira, with 25 deaths reported in five provinces of Bicol region including Sorsogon.
Among the affected provinces, World Vision operates in Sorsogon and Camarines Norte. The project areas in Camarines Norte were not impacted, but many affected areas in Sorsogon including Hubo were World Vision development areas.
To meet the immediate needs of families in Sorsogon, World Vision will be providing relief goods tomorrow (Wednesday) through its program partner Green Valley Development Program (GCDP). Sorsogon Area Development Program is supported by World Vision US.
Felixberto Jerus, program partner staff says, "There were survivors who were left with only the clothes they had on themselves during the landslide. We need to meet their immediate survival needs."
The relief pack consist of the following: 25 kilos rice, plastic mat, ladle, mineral water, sugar, coffee, biscuit, cooking pot, spoon and fork, glass and plates.
The complete relief pack will be provided to the 20 families with totally damaged houses while the remaining 166 families from the 186 affected families will receive the 25 kilos of rice.
"Immediate counseling to children through the establishment of Child Friendly Space is also being planned," explained Jerus, adding that shelter assistance for the 20 families whose houses were totally damaged will also be provided.
Meanwhile, assessment and validation is ongoing in other areas in Sorsogon for a possible broader relief operation.
Landslides and flooding are frequent in Bicol region as it sits in a seasonal typhoon path.
Typhoon Kujira and the recent typhoon named Crising in the Philippines marked the start of rainy season in the Philippines.
Weather forecasters are predicting another potential typhoon, dubbed "Emong", to enter Philippine territory tomorrow.
SPOKESPERSON: for further information or interviews, please contact Norma Hernandez, Sorsogon ADP program manager, +639166847329 or Shirley Kimmayong, WV Philippines HEA communications specialist, +639178836172 (Philippines, GMT +8)
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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