Typhoon Mina Update - Bicol Region

7AM November 24, 2007 Bikol Movement for Disaster Response (BMDR)

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Download the Nov 24, 2007 7AM data

Surprisingly, Typhoon Mina has changed direction and weather specialists forecast it will not directly hit the Bicol region. But its strong winds and heavy rain has already caused water in Lake Buhi and Lake Bato in Camarines Sur to overflow. It has submerged the agricultural plains in Camarines Sur and Albay. And it has caused soil and rock movements resulting in landslides and mudslides in Catanduanes, Albay and Camarines Sur.

The necessity to move to safety close to a quarter of the Bicol population led to the successive declarations of a state of calamity in different towns in Camarines Sur and Catanduanes and the entire province of Albay. Reported figures by local coordinating councils only account for those in public evacuation centers. The number of affected persons will surely increase if we add those who evacuated to private establishments and to homes of relatives.

But whether typhoon Mina directly hits the Bicol Region or not, fact is, there are already thousands of evacuees. For a week now, the lives of these persons have been disrupted. Until today, evacuees from previous supertyphoon Reming remain in evacuation centers and makeshift shelters. They are part of the 8,000 families who are still homeless a year after supertyphoon Reming. Last week’s typhoon Lando damaged P18 million worth of palay and P17.44 million worth of corn according to DA Central Action Center.

And whether typhoon Mina directly hits the Bicol Region or not, relief assistance and rehabilitation projects are much needed to improve the lives of those living in disaster prone areas, a decisive factor in building disaster resilient communities in the long run.

Thus, our call for assistance to families in disaster prone areas in the Bicol region remains.

Download the Nov 24, 2007 7AM data