Friday, November 26, 2004

Update

www.alertnet.org . World Vision prepares typhoon relief response . As the storm devastation mounted in the province of Aurora, located northeast of Luzon, World Vision's regional team led by Food Security Coordinator Cesar Bautista geared up for relief operations to help victims.

www.abs-cbnnews.com. 'Unding', 'Violeta' death toll reaches 87. ... It was earlier reported the President would visit Bicol and Aurora provinces, but Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman has announced the trip to Baler may be ...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

UN Assessment Team in Aurora Province
Quote
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affiars
Geneva Switzerland
OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Philippines - Floods
8 December 2004

This situation report is based on information provided from the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team in Manila.
Situation
1. The latest figures on the impact of the successive typhoons and tropical depressions provided by National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC) are as follows:
- Dead: 762
- Injured: 667
- Missing: 787
- Houses destroyed: 12,758
- Houses damaged: 18,189

Priority/Immediate Needs
2. There is a need for more relief items. Current Government’s stocks are not enough to meet the demand for the coming weeks. The expected opening up of access roads to the affected areas will expedite the distribution of relief items. Priority relief items remain to be food, potable water, pediatric medicines, water and sanitation facilities, power generators, and shelters.

National Response
3. To date the Government has provided approximately PHP 54 million (approximately USD 960,000) worth of assistance to the affected population.

4. While relief efforts are ongoing, the Government is starting to plan the rehabilitation of the affected areas. “Food for work” is being considered in the construction of core shelters for the estimated 30,000 homeless families.

Needs Assessment Missions
5. Three inter-agency assessment teams with one UNDAC member each departed early this morning for Dingalan (Aurora Province) by land, and Infanta and General Nakar (Quezon Province) by air. The composition of the teams is as follow:
- Aurora (three-day mission): UNICEF, AusAid, JICA and UNDAC,
- Infanta: NDCC, JICA, STC(US), MSF and UNDAC,
- General Nakar: UNDP, WHO, AusAid, JICA and UNDAC.

6. Short initial report from assessment mission in Dingalan:
• The town of Dingalan in the Aurora Province is accessible by land. Debris, mud and logs are still all over the place. Southern communities remain inaccessible.
• About 100 families sought refuge in the school of 15-20 rooms that are very crowded. There is no running water – nearest running water source is 1 km away. There is a need for water and sanitation facilities.
• Workers from the Public Works and Highways are undertaking continuous road clearing operations to fully clean up the roads of debris.
• Distribution of relief goods is done at the centre of the town. Health centre and hospitals are operational. All schools were damaged with one damaged beyond repair. Classes were suspended one week earlier of the scheduled Christmas break.

UN Flash Appeal and International Response
7. The United Nations Country Team and the Government have agreed to the preparation of a UN Flash Appeal to address relief and emergency rehabilitation needs for a period of 3 months. It is expected the Flash Appeal will be launched in Manila next week.

8. 1,500 family packages provided by UNICEF have been delivered to Aurora province where they will be distributed by the local government. Another 1,500 packages are expected to be delivered next week.

Coordination Meetings
9. On 7 December, a coordination meeting for international agencies was held at NDCC. The meeting was attended by representatives from NDCC, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, WFP, WHO, AusAid, JICA, Joint United States Military Advisory Group, German Agro Action, MSF, OXFAM, Philippine German Development Foundation, Save the Children, World Vision. The agencies shared information on their activities, areas covered, the form of assistance provided and the population targeted. All participants agreed on the need to regularly meet as a group to share information and coordinate their relief efforts through NDCC. Next meeting was scheduled for 9 December 2004.

10. Immediately after the inter-agency meeting, the Health Sector coordination meeting followed which was chaired by the Civil Defense Deputy Administrator.

11. An update of donor contributions can be found on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int. OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with the UN Resident Coordinator’s office. For banking details please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donor governments with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

12. OCHA is in close contact with the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s office in Manila through the UNDAC team and will revert with further information as it becomes available.

13. This situation report, together with further information on other ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.
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