Philippines: Plan responds to floods in North Samar

Philippines: yellow indicates Plan program areas

Three days of non-stop heavy rains between December 26 and 29 have caused massive flooding in Northern Samar - hitting seven towns and affecting five Plan-covered areas.

The flooding was reportedly aggravated by water overflowing from three major rivers, which submerged 11 villages of Catarman and Catubig towns (both Plan areas). Other villages were partially submerged.

The Provincial Disaster Committee (PDC) reported 14 dead, 75 injured and three missing while initial reports from Plan communities identified one dead and 30 injured in Catubig and San Roque towns.

PDC reports 245 totally damaged houses (139 are from Plan’s covered town Catarman and San Roque). More than 2,800 houses are partially damaged.

The floods also damaged tube wells and pipelines, and eroded water catchments affecting drinking water sources. Many agricultural products and household properties were damaged, newly planted rice lands and vegetable gardens washed away, and a number of domestic animals reported drowned and missing.

Response

Local disaster committees have responded by providing food and emergency medical assistance to the affected families.

Plan is gathering information and performing assessments of the situation and how best to help the children and their families. We are initially targeting assistence to more than 8,400 families in 59 affected communities.

The floods in North Samar come just weeks after typhoons Utor and Durian swept through the Philippines, wreaking havoc on the lives of more than three million people.

Find out how Plan is helping communities affected by typhoons Utor and Durian

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