Rescuers from the army and civilian agencies struggled for a second day
on Sunday to reach flood victims in the Philippines after a tropical
storm swept through the main island of Luzon, leaving at least 95 dead
and temporarily displacing more than 337,000 people.
Government troops, the police and civilian volunteers had by Sunday
night rescued more than 5,000 people. Some 68,550 people were being
housed in 118 evacuation centers, the government’s disaster management
agency said. Television reports showed people still on rooftops, waving and shouting
for food, water and warm clothes, while army and civilian helicopters
dropped food and relief goods. TV footage showed some survivors clinging to high-voltage power lines.
Some reports estimate that 80% of the capital is still under water. The government has declared a "calamity" in Manila and 25 provinces, allowing access to emergency funds.
Reports so far indicate that our Philippine PH churches have suffered no structural damage but are facing major cleanup operations. We thank the Lord that there are no reported fatalities among our members. This from our national leader: "We reached home safely last night. The church in our house is not flooded, only the surroundings. Some of our members report they are still in flood conditions, some knee high, some waist high. No fatalities! The Lord is still good! Thanks for your prayers."
More rain is expected later in the week.
(Information from Financial Times and BBC News.)