Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago, the
Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the ground to assess
the impact on the worst affected areas, including the easternmost island group
of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon Hagupit was
not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still bearing the scars of
Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different. Families grappling with high
poverty rates are struggling to recover, especially in communities along the
coast and in isolated mountain pockets. The effects of a protracted armed
conflict in some parts of Samar exacerbate their plight.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than 44,000 hot meals,
7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of drinking water, as well as
blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last week, it dispatched a convoy
loaded with food and basic items as well as ambulances, water tankers and fuel
trucks to the Bicol and Samar regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman and
secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the IFRC’s Head
of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see conditions (photo above) on the ground
and hear first-hand reports from staff and volunteers in Catarman, provincial
capital of Northern Samar, followed by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern
Samar. A day earlier, a joint team from the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment
of remote areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and
Samar province by land.
Many residents moved to evacuation centres to shelter from the typhoon, especially people in small coastal villages in the likely path of the typhoon.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new seedlings had
been planted weeks before were washed away and banana trees flattened. Locals
have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the side of the road and many people
are making do with what little they have left in the way of food and shelter.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000 people
receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an evacuation centre. Most
of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to representatives of
families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the local elementary school.
Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross leaders they had been told to
leave so classes could resume but they had no choice but to remain in the
overcrowded school as Hagupit had destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine Red Cross
stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies including sleeping
kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as well as
water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for distribution to
affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and Eastern Samar.
amilies
made homeless by Typhoon Hagupit pose beside the sign for the school
where they were evacuated to shelter from the storm. The small coastal
town was in the path of the typhoon, which made landfall in early
December. Kate Marshall/IFRC - See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/philippines/typhoon-hagupit-deals-double-blow-to-communities-struggling-to-recover-from-haiyan-67778/#sthash.FiGN0BEz.dpuf
Last
week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman and
secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land. - See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/philippines/typhoon-hagupit-deals-double-blow-to-communities-struggling-to-recover-from-haiyan-67778/#sthash.FiGN0BEz.dpuf
Representatives
from the Philippine Red Cross rapid assessment team from Catarman
chapter, update chairman Richard Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang
on their findings after Typhoon Hagupit lashed the provincial capital.
Kate Marshall/IFRC - See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/philippines/typhoon-hagupit-deals-double-blow-to-communities-struggling-to-recover-from-haiyan-67778/#sthash.FiGN0BEz.dpuf
Representatives
from the Philippine Red Cross rapid assessment team from Catarman
chapter, update chairman Richard Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang
on their findings after Typhoon Hagupit lashed the provincial capital.
Kate Marshall/IFRC - See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/philippines/typhoon-hagupit-deals-double-blow-to-communities-struggling-to-recover-from-haiyan-67778/#sthash.FiGN0BEz.dpuf
Representatives
from the Philippine Red Cross rapid assessment team from Catarman
chapter, update chairman Richard Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang
on their findings after Typhoon Hagupit lashed the provincial capital.
Kate Marshall/IFRC - See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/philippines/typhoon-hagupit-deals-double-blow-to-communities-struggling-to-recover-from-haiyan-67778/#sthash.FiGN0BEz.dpuBased on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million
population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman and
secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the IFRC’s Head
of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see conditions on the ground
and hear first-hand reports from staff and volunteers in Catarman, provincial
capital of Northern Samar, followed by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern
Samar. A day earlier, a joint team from the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment
of remote areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and
Samar province by land
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago, the
Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the ground to assess
the impact on the worst affected areas, including the easternmost island group
of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon Hagupit was
not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still bearing the scars of
Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different. Families grappling with high
poverty rates are struggling to recover, especially in communities along the
coast and in isolated mountain pockets. The effects of a protracted armed
conflict in some parts of Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million
population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than 44,000 hot meals,
7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of drinking water, as well as
blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last week, it dispatched a convoy
loaded with food and basic items as well as ambulances, water tankers and fuel
trucks to the Bicol and Samar regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman and
secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the IFRC’s Head
of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see conditions on the ground
and hear first-hand reports from staff and volunteers in Catarman, provincial
capital of Northern Samar, followed by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern
Samar. A day earlier, a joint team from the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment
of remote areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and
Samar province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new seedlings had
been planted weeks before were washed away and banana trees flattened. Locals
have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the side of the road and many people
are making do with what little they have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous areas that
experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned into rivers of mud
as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many communities in its path. Mr
Gordon warned that some of these areas will take time to be fully assessed,
either because a bridge has been destroyed or because they are in remote
valleys that can take days to reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000 people
receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an evacuation centre. Most
of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to representatives of
families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the local elementary school.
Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross leaders they had been told to
leave so classes could resume but they had no choice but to remain in the
overcrowded school as Hagupit had destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine Red Cross
stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies including sleeping
kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as well as
water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for distribution to
affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and Eastern Samar.
Representatives from the Philippine Red Cross
rapid assessment team from Catarman chapter, update chairman Richard
Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang on their findings after Typhoon
Hagupit lashed the provincial capital. Kate Marshall/IFRC
By Kate Marshall, IFRC
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago,
the Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the
ground to assess the impact on the worst affected areas, including the
easternmost island group of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon
Hagupit was not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still
bearing the scars of Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different.
Families grappling with high poverty rates are struggling to recover,
especially in communities along the coast and in isolated mountain
pockets. The effects of a protracted armed conflict in some parts of
Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than
44,000 hot meals, 7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of
drinking water, as well as blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last
week, it dispatched a convoy loaded with food and basic items as well
as ambulances, water tankers and fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar
regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman
and secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new
seedlings had been planted weeks before were washed away and banana
trees flattened. Locals have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the
side of the road and many people are making do with what little they
have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous
areas that experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned
into rivers of mud as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many
communities in its path. Mr Gordon warned that some of these areas will
take time to be fully assessed, either because a bridge has been
destroyed or because they are in remote valleys that can take days to
reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000
people receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an
evacuation centre. Most of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to
representatives of families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the
local elementary school. Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross
leaders they had been told to leave so classes could resume but they
had no choice but to remain in the overcrowded school as Hagupit had
destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine
Red Cross stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies
including sleeping kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as
well as water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for
distribution to affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and
Eastern Samar.
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago, the
Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the ground to assess
the impact on the worst affected areas, including the easternmost island group
of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon Hagupit was
not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still bearing the scars of
Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different. Families grappling with high
poverty rates are struggling to recover, especially in communities along the
coast and in isolated mountain pockets. The effects of a protracted armed
conflict in some parts of Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million
population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than 44,000 hot meals,
7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of drinking water, as well as
blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last week, it dispatched a convoy
loaded with food and basic items as well as ambulances, water tankers and fuel
trucks to the Bicol and Samar regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman and
secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the IFRC’s Head
of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see conditions on the ground
and hear first-hand reports from staff and volunteers in Catarman, provincial
capital of Northern Samar, followed by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern
Samar. A day earlier, a joint team from the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment
of remote areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and
Samar province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new seedlings had
been planted weeks before were washed away and banana trees flattened. Locals
have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the side of the road and many people
are making do with what little they have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous areas that
experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned into rivers of mud
as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many communities in its path. Mr
Gordon warned that some of these areas will take time to be fully assessed,
either because a bridge has been destroyed or because they are in remote
valleys that can take days to reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000 people
receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an evacuation centre. Most
of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to representatives of
families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the local elementary school.
Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross leaders they had been told to
leave so classes could resume but they had no choice but to remain in the
overcrowded school as Hagupit had destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine Red Cross
stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies including sleeping
kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as well as
water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for distribution to
affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and Eastern Samar.
Typhoon Hagupit deals double blow to communities struggling to recover from Haiyan
Published: 16 December 2014 21:39 CET
Representatives from the Philippine Red Cross
rapid assessment team from Catarman chapter, update chairman Richard
Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang on their findings after Typhoon
Hagupit lashed the provincial capital. Kate Marshall/IFRC
By Kate Marshall, IFRC
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago,
the Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the
ground to assess the impact on the worst affected areas, including the
easternmost island group of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon
Hagupit was not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still
bearing the scars of Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different.
Families grappling with high poverty rates are struggling to recover,
especially in communities along the coast and in isolated mountain
pockets. The effects of a protracted armed conflict in some parts of
Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than
44,000 hot meals, 7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of
drinking water, as well as blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last
week, it dispatched a convoy loaded with food and basic items as well
as ambulances, water tankers and fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar
regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman
and secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new
seedlings had been planted weeks before were washed away and banana
trees flattened. Locals have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the
side of the road and many people are making do with what little they
have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous
areas that experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned
into rivers of mud as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many
communities in its path. Mr Gordon warned that some of these areas will
take time to be fully assessed, either because a bridge has been
destroyed or because they are in remote valleys that can take days to
reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000
people receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an
evacuation centre. Most of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to
representatives of families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the
local elementary school. Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross
leaders they had been told to leave so classes could resume but they
had no choice but to remain in the overcrowded school as Hagupit had
destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine
Red Cross stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies
including sleeping kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as
well as water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for
distribution to affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and
Eastern Samar.
Typhoon Hagupit deals double blow to communities struggling to recover from Haiyan
Published: 16 December 2014 21:39 CET
Representatives from the Philippine Red Cross
rapid assessment team from Catarman chapter, update chairman Richard
Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang on their findings after Typhoon
Hagupit lashed the provincial capital. Kate Marshall/IFRC
By Kate Marshall, IFRC
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago,
the Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the
ground to assess the impact on the worst affected areas, including the
easternmost island group of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon
Hagupit was not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still
bearing the scars of Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different.
Families grappling with high poverty rates are struggling to recover,
especially in communities along the coast and in isolated mountain
pockets. The effects of a protracted armed conflict in some parts of
Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than
44,000 hot meals, 7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of
drinking water, as well as blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last
week, it dispatched a convoy loaded with food and basic items as well
as ambulances, water tankers and fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar
regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman
and secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new
seedlings had been planted weeks before were washed away and banana
trees flattened. Locals have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the
side of the road and many people are making do with what little they
have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous
areas that experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned
into rivers of mud as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many
communities in its path. Mr Gordon warned that some of these areas will
take time to be fully assessed, either because a bridge has been
destroyed or because they are in remote valleys that can take days to
reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000
people receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an
evacuation centre. Most of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to
representatives of families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the
local elementary school. Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross
leaders they had been told to leave so classes could resume but they
had no choice but to remain in the overcrowded school as Hagupit had
destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine
Red Cross stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies
including sleeping kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as
well as water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for
distribution to affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and
Eastern Samar.
Typhoon Hagupit deals double blow to communities struggling to recover from Haiyan
Published: 16 December 2014 21:39 CET
Representatives from the Philippine Red Cross
rapid assessment team from Catarman chapter, update chairman Richard
Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang on their findings after Typhoon
Hagupit lashed the provincial capital. Kate Marshall/IFRC
By Kate Marshall, IFRC
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago,
the Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the
ground to assess the impact on the worst affected areas, including the
easternmost island group of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon
Hagupit was not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still
bearing the scars of Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different.
Families grappling with high poverty rates are struggling to recover,
especially in communities along the coast and in isolated mountain
pockets. The effects of a protracted armed conflict in some parts of
Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than
44,000 hot meals, 7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of
drinking water, as well as blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last
week, it dispatched a convoy loaded with food and basic items as well
as ambulances, water tankers and fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar
regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman
and secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new
seedlings had been planted weeks before were washed away and banana
trees flattened. Locals have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the
side of the road and many people are making do with what little they
have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous
areas that experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned
into rivers of mud as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many
communities in its path. Mr Gordon warned that some of these areas will
take time to be fully assessed, either because a bridge has been
destroyed or because they are in remote valleys that can take days to
reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000
people receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an
evacuation centre. Most of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to
representatives of families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the
local elementary school. Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross
leaders they had been told to leave so classes could resume but they
had no choice but to remain in the overcrowded school as Hagupit had
destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine
Red Cross stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies
including sleeping kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as
well as water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for
distribution to affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and
Eastern Samar.
Typhoon Hagupit deals double blow to communities struggling to recover from Haiyan
Published: 16 December 2014 21:39 CET
Representatives from the Philippine Red Cross
rapid assessment team from Catarman chapter, update chairman Richard
Gordon and secretary-general Gwen Pang on their findings after Typhoon
Hagupit lashed the provincial capital. Kate Marshall/IFRC
By Kate Marshall, IFRC
Since Typhoon Hagupit struck the Philippines just over a week ago,
the Philippine Red Cross has had three rapid response teams on the
ground to assess the impact on the worst affected areas, including the
easternmost island group of Samar where the typhoon first made landfall.
Initial reports indicate that overall damage from Typhoon
Hagupit was not as bad as first feared, but in parts of Samar – still
bearing the scars of Typhoon Haiyan – the picture is very different.
Families grappling with high poverty rates are struggling to recover,
especially in communities along the coast and in isolated mountain
pockets. The effects of a protracted armed conflict in some parts of
Samar exacerbate their plight.
Based on government figures, nearly one-third of the 3.85 million population affected by Hagupit live in Samar.
The Philippine Red Cross has so far provided more than
44,000 hot meals, 7,900 food packs and more than 51,000 litres of
drinking water, as well as blankets, mats and other non-food items. Last
week, it dispatched a convoy loaded with food and basic items as well
as ambulances, water tankers and fuel trucks to the Bicol and Samar
regions.
Last week Richard Gordon and Gwendolyn Pang, the chairman
and secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kari Isomaa, the
IFRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines, were taken to see
conditions on the ground and hear first-hand reports from staff and
volunteers in Catarman, provincial capital of Northern Samar, followed
by visits to Dolores and Borongan in Eastern Samar. A day earlier, a
joint team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the Philippine Red Cross also conducted an aerial assessment of remote
areas in Northern Samar; two other ICRC teams covered Eastern and Samar
province by land.
Food crops have been badly affected. Rice fields where new
seedlings had been planted weeks before were washed away and banana
trees flattened. Locals have erected signs saying ‘Help us’ along the
side of the road and many people are making do with what little they
have left in the way of food and shelter.
Shelter and food needs also remain in many mountainous
areas that experienced flash flooding from heavy rain. The rain turned
into rivers of mud as it coursed down the mountainside, affecting many
communities in its path. Mr Gordon warned that some of these areas will
take time to be fully assessed, either because a bridge has been
destroyed or because they are in remote valleys that can take days to
reach by foot.
According to the Government there are still about 172,000
people receiving some kind of help either inside or outside an
evacuation centre. Most of them are in Samar.
In Dolores, Gordon and Pang stopped to talk to
representatives of families who were pre-emptively evacuated to the
local elementary school. Concerned parents told the Philippine Red Cross
leaders they had been told to leave so classes could resume but they
had no choice but to remain in the overcrowded school as Hagupit had
destroyed their homes.
For Samar, tents and shelter repair items from Philippine
Red Cross stock are being dispatched with other emergency supplies
including sleeping kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and jerry cans.
The ICRC is providing 150 tonnes of rice and sardines, as
well as water-treatment equipment to the Philippine Red Cross for
distribution to affected families in the coastal areas of Northern and
Eastern Samar.
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