Receding water
October 3, 2011
Flood waters are finally starting to recede in the Philippines after two typhoons have battered the country. According to the civil defense office in Manila, 58 people have so far died in the Nesat and Nalgae typhoons, and at least 28 are still missing. The official figures also claim that over 360,000 people are stranded in the flooded areas or either in evacuation camps and are in a dire need of relief.
The Philippines is normally hit by an average of 20 typhoons per year. Officials, however, say that the latest were the most powerful ones in 2011, devastating most of Luzon, the country's most populous island.
Waters subsiding
The government claimed Monday that the threat of more areas becoming inundated by the over-flowing of dams had passed. "The amount of rainfall from Nalgae wasn't enough to cause more flooding, although some areas will likely remain under water for some days," said Civil Defense Chief Benito Ramos.
This is good news for the people who are still waiting for aid, as large parts of the flood-affected areas had hitherto been cut-off to relief workers. "We have no food to eat, no clean drinking water," construction worker Orly Nabong told AFP. "The water is slowly going down so we think we can wait it out, but we need supplies," he added, hinting at the slow pace of relief efforts.
Rescue efforts pace up
Calumpit, north of Manila, is also hit hard by the Nesat and Nalgae typhoons. Rescue efforts are now underway in Calumpit as flood waters there also recede. People in the affected areas are especially in need of potable water.
Calumpit's mayor James de Jesus told media that the government would likely to evacuate people forcibly from submerged areas.
Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme said it was supporting Manila's relief efforts by sending food items for the affectees.
Philippine officials have appealed for more international aid to help them cope with the disaster.
Author: Shamil Shams (AFP, dpa)
Editor: Sarah Berning