A United Nations official on Thursday likened to a
tsunami the weekend flooding that devastated the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan
in southern Philippines.
A UN humanitarian coordinator,
Soe Nyunt-U, also voiced concern about the possibility of disease outbreaks
among the thousands living in evacuation centers after their houses were washed
away last Friday when Tropical Storm “Sendong” unleashed flash floods.
"It was as if the cities
were hit by an inland tsunami," Soe told reporters in Manila. “Entire
areas were completely flattened. Only a few sturdy buildings remain standing,
and these had sustained a lot of damage.”
"Debris from houses,
buildings and other structures that had been destroyed by the storm was all
swept out to the sea, leaving huge areas devoid of all traces of
habitation," he said.
About 45,000 displaced are
inside evacuation centers, most of them in worst-hit Iligan and Cagayan de Oro,
home to nearly a million people.
Another 266,000 are being
assisted outside temporary shelters. Nearly 30,000 houses were destroyed and
damaged.
Local authorities and grieving
relatives were moving ahead with dozens of burials each day, after a handful of
funeral parlors complained they were overwhelmed and could no longer accept
bodies, which were still being retrieved from the sea or mud almost a week
after the disaster struck.
Cholera outbreak
Aid workers rushed in relief
supplies, but a lack of running water was a major concern.
"We must improve this
situation at the soonest possible time to avoid disease outbreaks that will
further compound the hardships of the people already weakened by hunger and
grief from loss of family and friends," Soe said.
He mentioned a cholera type virus
that may occur due to problems stemming from congestion in the evacuation
centers, where poor sanitation and hygiene posed a health risk.
The National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) put the death toll at 1,010 and 51
missing.
However, Mayor Lawrence Cruz of
Iligan said that in his city alone, more than 400 residents had been reported
missing, with another 283 confirmed dead.
"We could only assume they
are dead already. There is so much mud that has to be cleared up and maybe the
missing are buried deep inside," Cruz said.
The Philippine National Red
Cross chief, Gwendolyn Pang, said that at least 900 bodies had been recovered
and that some 400 people were reported missing.
"Many will never be found
and we don’t know how many are really missing. No one will report them because
entire families were swept away," Pang said.
Search for 2 more weeks
NDRRMC Executive Director
Benito Ramos said Coast Guard and Navy vessels had been drafted for a huge
rescue effort to find bodies floating amid debris up to 100km away.
"By this time, there will
be no survivors, just dead bodies," Ramos said after Sendong—international
name: Washi—brought heavy rains that spawned flash floods, overflowing rivers
and mudslides that buried bodies or swept them into the sea.
He said the search could
continue for two more weeks.
A Navy vessel recovered 11
badly decomposed bodies off the coastal town of Salay on Wednesday, said
Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay, a Navy spokesperson.
"Recovering bodies at sea
is difficult because of the sheer volume of debris. You have to ram logs and
risk holing your hull or entangling your propellers," Tonsay added.
On Wednesday, a National Bureau
of Investigation team attempting to identify unclaimed bodies moved its operations
from a sanitary landfill to a hangar owned by National Power Corp. following
complaints from residents that authorities were disrespecting the dead.
Some 70 decomposing bodies have
been brought to the garbage dump after funeral parlors said they could no
longer accommodate them.
Damage to schools
The Department of Education
said the storm caused an estimated 60 million pesos (US$1.37 million) in damage
to 36 schools mostly in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
Assistant Education Secretary
Reynaldo Laguda said the department was working to bring normalcy back in the
affected schools when classes resume in January after the Christmas break.
Senator Loren Legarda urged
authorities to strengthen mechanisms to help children in evacuation centers.
"Every time a disaster
occurs, the impact on children is more likely to be greater because aside from
being unable to immediately respond to natural hazards, they are also
vulnerable to the aftermath of disasters, including the outbreak of diseases,
lack of food, potable water and shelter," Legarda said.
Also on Thursday, leftist
groups marched on Mendiola to hit the Palace's lack of preparedness in coping
with disasters. “How many more will die,” streamers declared.
The groups said President
Benigno Aquino III should be held accountable
for his failure to control mining and logging activities. With reports
from AP, AFP, Karen Boncocan, Tarra Quismundo and Cathy Yamsuan
News Desk
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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