Supply of drinking water a great problem
For days our employee has been busy bringing water, hygienic articles and medicine to people in the homeless shelters. A short report follows (25.12.2011):
»Water is still a great problem. Over 70% of the 500,000 people in the city have no water. Over 110,000 people were flooded in their homes. The number of fatalities is rising daily. Helicopters are flying constantly over our heads. But now no longer to rescue people but to recover the bodies that are floating in the rivers and in the ocean. All over the city are lists of missing people.
With local helpers we have been trying to help as much as possible. With the money that was donated so far we were able to distribute 4,000 small aid packages. With containers we are trying to transport water from springs to the shelters. Tomorrow we want to start giving out water purification tablets which can make even very dirty water drinkable.«
Only mud and rubble
“After the typhoon there is only mud and rubble left” wrote AVC employee Carsten Aust who works in the Philippines.
Many families were surprised by the floods during the night and were swept to death in their own huts. An estimated 652 died and about 800 people are unaccounted for. A total of about 100,000 people are directly affected by the flooding and landslides. The existing emergency shelters are overcrowded. Children cry and call for their parents. Others just stare like paralyzed into space. Close together thousands of people lie on the cold floor. Their clothes are often all they have left. There are no sanitary facilities. Often they only have bowls to relieve themselves. Clean water, food, in particular baby food as well as nappies and general hygienic articles are needed urgently. The mud floods have destroyed 70% of the water supplies for the population of Cagayan De Oro.
It is our aim to run a relief centre in the city of Cagayan de Oro as of 21st December 2011. Our employee Carsten Aust and his wife will be there in the coming days and weeks to provide immediate help.