Alert
Philippines - No 1/2006
Typhoon Durian
Geneva, 5 December 2006
Following the wrath of Typhoon Durian, which lashed the Philippines on 30 November, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared a state of emergency. The death toll is likely to exceed 1,000, with many of the casualties in the severely affected barangays in Albay Province, which were crushed by boulders and mud loosened from the slopes of Mayon Volcano by the heavy rains.
Five days after the onslaught of Durian the statistics on the extent of the devastation are not known as some areas remain isolated and power and communication lines are still down.
ACT member the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) reports that to date a total of 93,582 families or 455,593 persons in 694 barangays of the 67 municipalities and 6 cities in 11 provinces of Regions IV-A, IV-B and V have been affected. Of these, 5,612 families or 29,790 individuals have fled to 190 designated evacuation centers. The Bicol Region (Region V) suffered the most destruction and the highest number of casualties.
The National Disaster Co-ordinating Council (NDCC) in its latest report said that the death toll had reached 450 with 599 missing and feared dead. Around 66,191 houses have been totally destroyed (this figure excludes houses totally buried under mudflows). Among the areas most severely affected areas by mudflows, volcanic debris and solid volcanic rocks are the municipalities of Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Guinobatan and Camalig and the city of Legaspi.
Rescue and retrieval operations are fully underway with workers from Southern Leyte, the Philippine Air Force, members of the Spanish Government Rescue team as well as mine workers working round the clock to recover survivors buried under the debris.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has issued an urgent appeal for help. The most urgently needed items are: food, water purifiers, water containers, mosquito nets, blankets and sleeping mats, clothing, cooking utensils, medicine and hygiene items.
The NCC, through its relief arm in the Bicol region - the NCCP Andurog Mayon - will step up its relief operations. Volunteers are on the ground conducting damage assessments and assisting in rescue operations. Stockpiles from the national warehouse as well as donations received will be sent to the NCCP Andurog Mayon Operations Center in Legaspi City for immediate distribution to the evacuation centers. National staff will also assist the volunteers of Andurog Mayon in the damage and needs assessment and relief operations.
Appeals for relief assistance have been dispatched to NCCP member churches in Manila.
As soon as assessments have been completed, an appeal will be prepared. Meanwhile, the NCCP is preparing an RRF request to deal with the most urgent immediate needs of the survivors.
The ACT CO would be grateful for indications of support from donors for an appeal.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).
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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
