Local government units reported that more than 70 people died due to Tropical Storm Nalgae's fury over the Philippine archipelago. The 16th typhoon of the year is named Nalgae, with the local name Paeng. Paeng is a tropical storm that made landfall in eastern Catanduanes province and eventually in Camarines Sur. It has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h (59 km) and gusts of up to 160 km/h (99.4 km).
Paeng made landfall on October 27 as a Severe Tropical Storm south of Catanduanes early on Saturday morning. It's important to note that Paeng's delayed approach and strengthening motion had already brought torrential rains and strong winds to the entire nation, causing 175 flooding occurrences and 21 landslides in the Visayas and Mindanao, affecting 409,455 people from 97,206 families.
Flash floods caused by the torrential rains struck the province of Maguindanao in southern Mindanao, displacing 67,596 people from 13,519 homes, killing 67 people, and leaving 14 persons unaccounted for. Also affected were 26,194 people from 8,195 families and 68,440 people from 21,703 families in the Visayan provinces of Aklan and Capiz.
The tremendous flooding that was already produced by Paeng's torrential rainfall as it approached harmed 188,410 people from 44,667 families. However, after hitting ashore early on October 29, the figures doubled. According to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) statistics, 48,808 people from 12,304 households were not temporarily taking refuge in evacuation shelters, leaving 409,455 people from 97,206 families in 9 regions to be affected.
Additional reports indicate that 8,130 people, representing 1,974 families, are currently staying in evacuation shelters; however, this figure does not consider the province of Maguindanao, where it is claimed that 8,000 residents of an upland town were compelled to move to higher ground. The most recent update takes into account information from Maguindanao and the other affected regions, bringing home the sobering fact that this storm has now forced 48,808 people, representing 12,304 families, to leave their homes and seek temporary shelter in evacuation shelters.
In order to undertake assessments in the impacted areas, ADRA has been working with the Adventist Community Services(ACS) of the Adventist Churches in Southern Mindanao(SMM) and West Visayas(WVC).
The local Adventist Community Services volunteers were assigned by the West Visayan Conference (WVC) to evaluate the municipalities of Jamindan and Tapaz in the province of Capiz and the nearby municipalities of Balete and Kalibo in the province of Aklan. The Maguindanao province's Noro and Upo local municipalities provided the Southern Mindanao Mission (SMM) with preliminary data for analysis.
But now that Paeng is slowly traversing its way north from southern Luzon, ADRA anticipates the need for a Network Response because the current 409,455 affected population will most likely double before Tropical Storm Paeng makes its exit.
ADRA launched an online fundraising campaign on Facebook to raise more funds. Hope Channel South Philippines also assists by making donation appeals during their broadcast.
Aimee Tapeceria and Edward Rodriguez, ADRA Philippines and SSD Communication Department
