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Home » Tragedy in Davao Oriental: Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Report (7 December 2012)

Tragedy in Davao Oriental: Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response Report (7 December 2012)

Report on Balay Mindanaw Disaster Response
07 December 2012

We decided to do a quick on-the-ground assessment of the damage caused by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha). At 4am, we took off from Cagayan de Oro and reached Cateel, Davao Oriental at about 3pm.

As we drew deeper into the areas hardest hit by the disaster, we began to realize the magnitude of the devastation.

We saw entire communities totally wiped out as we passed through the highway between Trento, Bislig, Lingig , Boston and Cateel in the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental. We met and saw people with blank expressions on their faces and of desperation and hopelessness. Hectares of coconuts, bananas, and other trees fallen. Powerlines cut off. No communication lines.

In Cateel, we immediately found Col. Kris Mortela, Battalion Commander of 67IB, Philippine Army who is now playing a key role in the disaster response operations. He introduced us to Cateel Mayor Nunez who himself is injured, the municipal council and officials, the Chief of Staff of Governor Cora Malanyaon, and the Provincial Health Officer who is one of the only two doctors attending to the victims in the three municipalities.

The forty barangays (villages) in the three hardest hit municipalities of Boston, Cateel and Bagnga have been practically flattened to the ground, with barely any structure left standing. As of this afternoon, 261 have died, with hundreds injured.

In our conversations with the key people mentioned above, they identified the following immediate needs:

1. Temporary shelter such as tents, etc.
2. Food and drinking water
3. Medicines for the injured particularly anti-tetanus vaccines, antibiotics and other materials needed to treat injuries

Our proposed immediate response for Balay Mindanaw:
1. Immediately send tents and rolls of tent materials, food and medicines
2. For Balay Mindanaw to focus its DR on the 3 municipalities, in coordination with the other area teams of MINCODE
3. For the BM DR Team to be based in Baganga in close coordination with Col. Mortela
4. Intensify resource mobilization