MANILA (UCAN): Flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Trami [Kristine] left at least 130 people dead according to an October 27 report in the Associated Press, and displaced about 575,000 people.
“I am close to the population of the Philippines, struck by a powerful cyclone. May the Lord support those people, so full of faith,” Pope Francis during his Angelus message that Sunday.
Trami, the 11th typhoon to hit the country this year, disrupted classes, work and public transport in Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Eastern Visayas region, government officials said.
The storm made landfall on October 21 and vast areas remained submerged in muddy water as of October 23.
The Inquirer reported that in some areas, two months’ worth of rainfall fell in just two days
Meeting with disaster management officials in Manila on October 23, Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said rescuers mobilised rubber boats from various provinces from as far as Mindanao island in the southern Philippines to bring the affected communities to safety.
“Our problem here, there are still many areas that remained flooded and could not be accessed even [by] big truck,” Marcos told reporters
I am close to the population of the Philippines, struck by a powerful cyclone. May the Lord support those people, so full of faith
Pope Francis
In Camarines Sur, the largest of six provinces in Bicol, at least half of its land area was still underwater as of October 24 due to massive flooding, the president disclosed.
“As soon as we can, we will go in. Since we can’t use helicopters, we need to use trucks to deliver the supplies,” Marcos said in a televised briefing.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
As floods continued to wreak havoc in Bicol, the Archdiocese of Caceres, comprising 93 parishes of the region, also pitched in to help.
“We are currently consolidating our list of parishes and institutions in the archdiocese that opened as evacuation centers and the number of evacuees [sheltered there],” the archdiocese said on social media on October 23. It also asked the public to help them update their list by commenting on their social media accounts, saying that “help in whatever form is welcome.”
The archdiocese said hundreds of flood-hit people have been sheltering in dozens of churches in the region where Church volunteers are offering them necessary support. The storm and flooding left cities and towns without power for hours.
“Your help and support are much needed. These will certainly be a great encouragement for us in this difficult situation,” Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon of Caceres said on October 24.
We are currently consolidating our list of parishes and institutions in the archdiocese that opened as evacuation centers and the number of evacuees [sheltered there] Archdiocese of Caceres
Father Marc Real, executive director of Caritas Caceres, told VeritasPH, “The roads to Naga City are still impassable, with two towns heavily flooded. Many parts of Naga City itself are still underwater, making it very difficult for us to carry out relief operations.”
In Legazpi City, the largest city of the Bicol region, and in Albay province, the power supply was yet to be restored, as of October 23.
“I was nervous because the rain started Monday night [October 21] and continued non-stop until Tuesday, and again throughout Tuesday night,” Lani Macua, a 56-year-old resident of Legazpi City, said on October 23, the day when the rain finally stopped in Legazpi City.
Macua said she had prepared for the disaster by stocking up on food and an emergency kit following her experience of major typhoons including Typhoon Durian [Reming] in 2006 and Typhoon Haiyan [Yolanda] in 2013.
“We reminded people early on that those living in flood-prone areas should evacuate. But of course, not everyone follows. They think it’s okay,” she added.
Volcanic sediment was also unleashed by the rain from the famed Mayon volcano, according to regional police spokesperson, Luisa Calubaquib.
In Eastern Visayas, Major Analiza Armeza, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-8, said on October 23 that they will also send relief goods and rescue personnel through inter-agency for the flood victims of the neighbouring Bicol region.
In Isabela province, authorities evacuated 216 people from the coast near Divilacan and another 60 from nearby Palanan municipality after the weather service warned of “moderate to significant risk of life-threatening storm surge” or high coastal waves.
