In a span of seven
days two destructive typhoons have swept through the Bicol, Southern
Tagalog, Metro Manila, Central and Northern Luzon and Eastern Visayas
regions of the Philippines. Typhoon Reming (international code name
Xangsane) left 40 people dead, 249 injured and 66 missing. The Office
of Civil Defense reported that Xangsane caused extensive damage to
property and infrastructure and forced more than 118,000 people to
flee their homes. A total of 472,000 families or two million individuals
were affected in nine regions.
Typhoon Seniang
(international code name Bebinca) struck the country on 2 and 3 November,
less than a week after Typhoon Xangsane. Bebinca left 43 people dead
and more victims of landslides and drowning were reported. It affected
at least 127,000 families or 668,000 individuals in three regions.
Both typhoons
toppled tress, cut power lines, triggered landslides and flooded many
areas. Many houses were totally damaged especially in the poor rural
and urban areas.
According to the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration,
statistics show that an average of three typhoons affect the Philippines
in October, two in November and one in
December. At present
there is an active low pressure in the Southern Mindanao region.
ACT member, the
National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP)
has prioritised the Bicol Region along with Central and Southern Tagalog
which were the most severely hit by the two typhoons. They have set
up an emergency operations centre in Naga City to assist churches
in the Bicol Region while the national office will assist Central
Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
An ACT appeal
may be forthcoming.
