To: Our Member Churches, Associates, Friends, Partners and to All Concerned
Re: Super Typhoon “Juan”
Once more disaster struck our sisters and brothers in Northern Luzon. The super typhoon cut through from Isabela along the Pacific Coast to the Cordilleras and on to the Ilocos region in the west. Some of these provinces hardly recovered from the fury of Ondoy last year.
Enclosed is the initial Alert for your information.
I now issue the following calls:
a) For the people in the affected provinces to hold on and remain strong
b) For our churches to mobilize and collect whatever congregations can give towards the initial relief. The Alert attached contains some of these needs. The NCCP office will be most happy to receive these for packing and delivery.
c) To the Filipino Communities overseas, you have demonstrated your love and concern in the past for your loved ones left behind in this disaster-prone country. Please do so once more and send those expressions of your continuing solidarity over. What you did last year is not unknown to many affected communities.
d) To our other partners overseas, I appeal for assistance for the relief period and the rehabilitation especially for farm lands and other sources of livelihood.
e) We are in touch with the Bishops, Conference Ministers and other church leaders in the regions. Our relief and rehabilitation coordinating committee is in place. In Metro Manila we will again be turning to our Christian organizations for volunteers from time to time.
f) We are informed that this period will bring in more rains and typhoons to the Philippines. Please visit our website <
www.nccphilippines.org> for updates. Our fax number is (+632) 926-70-76 and our telephone number is (+632) 9293745 and (+632) 9228141.
g) Above all, we invite one and all to prayer, individually and collectively. May our intention be that God will receive those who have perished and comfort all the victims; that Jesus Christ will keep all who serve them in good health and that the Holy Spirit will help us continue to trust God and affirm the peace in all communities. May our united prayer rise as the incense and be acceptable to God who loves us all.
REV. FR. REX RB REYES, JR
General Secretary
20 October 2010
ALERT
Local Name: Super Typhoon “Juan” International Name: Typhoon “Megi”
I. Brief Description of the Emergency
On Sunday, October 17, Typhoon “Juan” (international code name: “Megi”) gathered strength as it barreled towards northern Philippines. Meanwhile, government authorities began evacuating about three thousand people/villagers to safer ground hours before it was predicted to hit land.
PAGASA said the cyclone was so powerful that it reached typhoon category “super typhoon” while still in the open area. Meteorologists also stated that “Juan” slammed into the extreme northern Philippines on Monday and then cut westwards towards the South China Sea.
The storm packed maximum winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the centre and gusts of up to 230 kilometers per hour, making it a super typhoon. It slowed down slightly to 19 kph from Sunday night’s 20 kph.
On Monday, it was packing sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour and gusts of 260 kph. Weather bureau officials said “Juan” is the world’s strongest typhoon this year. It is also the strongest storm to hit the Philippines since super-typhoon “Reming” struck Bicol region in 2006. Typhoon “Reming’s 250 kph winds set off mudslides that buried entire villages and killed about 1,000 people in Bicol area.
Typhoon “Juan” made landfall in Sierra Madre’s Estagno Point in Isabela at 11:25 am of October 18. About six hours after it made landfall, it weakened as it made its way across northern Luzon. As of 11:00 p.m., “Juan” was 90 kilometers west northwest of Baguio City, with sustained winds of 160 kph and gusts of 195 kph. Forecasters expect the storm to further weaken while on land. The typhoon is expected to leave via Ilocos Sur and La Union areas at midnight. The rainfall rate is 50 to 65 millimeters of rain per hour. Tuesday morning, “Juan” continued to move away from the Philippines towards the South China Sea.
According to a CNN report, meteorogists called typhoon Juan (Megi) a “monster storm” and warned that it could damage thousands of hectares of agricultural land along its path.
The storm could trigger landslides and floods as wide areas of northern Luzon will see 300 mm of rain, while more isolated pockets may see up to 500 mm.
The eye of the storm is getting smaller. This will have a frictional effect because it is moving closer to the terrain of Northern Luzon, the Sierra Madre mountain. It is expected to weaken as it nears the land mass of Northern Luzon. When it hits the South China sea, it is expected to gain intensity.
Meanwhile the rainfall is not enough to fill Magat Dam, a large rock-fill dam located on Magat River, a major tributary of Cagayan River. It was expected that Magat Dam will be filled after the storm hits. According to authorities, it will be ideal if the dam is filled, but not overflow. Unless water overflows, water from the dam will not be released. Should there be need arises to release the water from the dam, authorities say that it will be released at a graduated pace.
II. Impact
On Crops & Properties
On Monday, as of four in the afternoon, about 15,000 sacks of rice in two NFA warehouses in Isabela were destroyed by the typhoon. Estimated cost damages is about P15 million.
Provinces of Isabela and Cagayan; Kalinga, Ifugao and Mountain Province was placed under Storm Signal No. 4 and were the first provinces to feel the fury of Typhoon “Juan”.
Local Government officials placed Isabela under “State of Calamity” after super-typhoon Juan made landfall Monday morning. The province of Isabela is under a state of calamity being the first province hit by “Juan”. There is power outage in the area as electrical posts were toppled down. Moreover, communication has already been interrupted in Isabela and Cagayan. The powerful winds of Juan have also uprooted trees and roofs blown away, especially in Santiago City, Isabela. Baguio City experienced moderate to heavy rains.
Landslides were reported in various sections of Apayao and Benguet.
The Benguet-Dalupirip Itogon and Nueva Vizcaya-Benguet roads were closed due to landslides. As early as noon time of Monday, Itogon communities reported landslides in Km 271 of the Baguio-Nueva Vizcaya Road and Km 271 of the Itogon-Dalupirip Road.
The Claver-Calanasan Road (Mabanong section) was also closed to traffic due to landslides. Only one lane of the Manila North Road in Barangay Sagayaden in Cabugao is passable. One lane of the Mt. Province-Calanan Boundary-Calaan Road (Bannagao section and the Dalimono section) was also closed due to landslides.
Another erosion destroyed a road leading to Conner Town in Apayao.
III. National Response
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on its initial report stated that at least 946 families or 4,614 people in 30 villages in 16 towns in six provinces were directly affected by Typhoon “Juan”. Of these, 866 families or 4,161 people are staying inside evacuation centers.
Office of Civil Defense was tasked to facilitate the needed evacuation of people living in risky areas. In fact, the government did not rule out forced evacuation for those who refused to leave their homes despite being told to do so. Forced evacuations according to them will be done for the safety of the residents/responders/community.
In Cagayan Valley, residents from low-lying areas were evacuated to higher ground.
In Manila, prior to the Typhoon hitting land, disaster officials prepared food packs, medicines and rescue equipment including rubber boats in areas expected to be hit by the typhoon.
Philippine National Police are on full alert nationwide and equipment are pre-positioned in Northern Luzon. They tapped additional search and rescue teams from Manila to North areas. Armed Forces and Navy as well are continuously monitoring events. Its rescue teams are prepared to help residents and local government units.
Department of Social Welfare and Development has stored food and non-food items for the possible typhoon victims in the regions that will be likely hit by Juan.
IV. Planned Response
The extent of damage cannot be ascertained at this time because most communication lines are still down and many roads and bridges are also closed. NCCP has received partial reports from its member churches in the affected areas and waiting for a more comprehensive report. Once roads are cleared, NCCP will send a team to assist the churches and partners in the conduct of damage and needs assessment. For the immediate response, NCCP requested member churches in the regions not affected by the disaster for emergency relief assistance which would include the following:
Food Items
Rice
Canned Goods
Dried Fish
Mongo Beans
Vegetables
Root Crops
Bottled Water
Non-Food Items
Sleeping Matls.
Kitchen Wares
Cooking Wares
Water Container
School Kit
Candle & Match
Flashlight/Battery
Kerosene Lamp
Rescue Tools
Raincoat & Boots
Clothing
Women’s Clothes
Men’s Clothes
Children’s Wear
Infant’s Wear
Underwear
Diaper
Socks
Foot Wear
Hygiene Kit
Toothpaste/brush
Face/Hand Towel
Bath Soap
Sanitary Napkin
Laundry Bar Soap
Shampoo
Mosquito Repellant
Medicines
Paracetamol
Salbutamol
Mucolytic
Immodium
Decongestant
Analgesic
Antiseptic
Alcohol
Betadine
First Aid Kit
