Typhoon Labuyo (international codename “Utor”) made its landfall in Casiguran, Aurora province early morning of August 12, 2013 and swept across coastal and mountain communities with wind gusts of 200 kilometers per hour. It accelerated and intensified slightly as it moved over the West Philippine Sea and intensified further as it moved away from the country.

According to National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Undersecretary Eduardo Del Rosario, Aurora province was the hardest hit area, being the first province to be struck by the typhoon from the eastern seaboard.The road to Casiguran was impassable due to floods and landslides, he said.

According to Mayor Victorio Briones of Dilasag town, 90% of their inhabitants were affected in different degrees.

In Dipaculao, 73 houses were damaged while five were destroyed by heavy rains and strong winds. At least 131 families have evacuated to town halls or barangay (village) centers in Casiguran, Dilasag, Dingalan, Dinalungan and Dipaculao. The Maria Aurora national highway in Aurora was declared temporarily not passable due to fallen trees.

As of this writing, relief efforts are hampered as the Baler-Casiguran road, one of the main roads in the province, remain impassable.

Masinloc, Zambales also declared a state of calamity after almost the entire town was submerged in floods during the onslaught of typhoon “Labuyo.”

Based on Zambales Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reports, floods submerged 11 out of 12 villages of the town of Masinloc in 4-5ft high flashfloods and destroyed several roads and bridges, forcing local officials to declare a state of calamity. Severe flooding in Masinloc  affected some 1,178 families or 25,229 individuals with 336 families and a total of 2,322 individuals in different evacuation centers.

Other municipalities greatly affected by 5-10ft flooding are the towns of Sta Cruz, Candelaria and Palawig in Northern Zambales.

In Nueva Vizcaya, residents recounted their rude awakening when Labuyo slammed into the province at dawn with howling winds and heavy rains that flooded many areas. Hundreds of families, especially those in riverside communities, fled their houses and scrambled to safer grounds as water rose in the early morning of August 12.

CDRC’s Regional Center, Alay Bayan-Luson, Inc., is currently conducting Damage Needs and capacity Assessment in typhoon devastated provinces like Nueva Ecija, Zambales and Pangasinan.

Initial Needs Assessments indentified the needs of the calamity survivors:

FOOD ITEMS:

• Canned goods
• Rice
• Bottled water
• Bread
• Mung beans
• Cooking oil
• Dried fish
• Sugar
• Ready to eat food

NON-FOOD ITEMS:

• New underwears
• Blankets
• Mats
• Water containers
• Clothing : infant clothes, pregnant women
• Sanitary napkin
• Bath soap
• Laundry soap
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Diapers

Appeal for Support 

We appeal to you for any contribution for the very much needed services and goods to be delivered immediately to the most vulnerable sectors. Your support, financial or material, will be of great help and will be highly appreciated. We also encourage you to join us in delivering the goods to the calamity survivors in the region.

 

Donations and help may be sent through Alay Bayan-Luson Inc.

#54 Rue de Paree, L&S Subdivision, Barangay Telebastagan,

City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines.

 

You may also deposit cash donations to the following account:

Account Name: Alay Bayan-Luson, Inc.

Account Number: 052-3-05248218-7

Bank: Metrobank, Angeles Main branch, AngelesCity, Pampanga, Philippines