TEAR Fund responds to devastating Philippines flash floods

PRESS RELEASE

December 21 2011

TEAR Fund responds to devastating Philippines flash floods

TEAR Fund is responding to calls for help from its partners on the Island of Mindanao in the Philippines, where flash floods have killed about 1000 people and displaced thousands.

Funeral parlours are struggling to cope with the numbers of bodies and there are talks of mass burials according to reports. A TEAR Fund programmes officer, Thelma Cruz, who is a Filipino national, said our partners are reporting that lots of bodies are appearing from amongst the mud and debris caused by the flash floods that swept through the urban areas. Many of the dead were asleep when the wall of water slammed through their homes, she said.

Ms Cruz said there was a sizeable Filipino community in New Zealand and TEAR Fund wanted to give them the opportunity to contribute to the disaster recovery. One area in Pigsahan, Cagayan de Oro City, where TEAR Fund is working in was badly affected due to mining in the area by a multi-national mining company.

“We are appealing to the public to support TEAR Fund’s Philippines Typhoon Appeal” She said, the most immediate need was for clean drinking water but TEAR Fund would be standing with these communities in the long-term recovery. There was also large-scale devastation of peanut crops, which was part of a TEAR Fund agricultural programme. “We will be helping those who lost their crops and livelihoods to start again.”

The New Zealand public can give by phoning 0800 800 777 or tearfund.org.nz.

ENDS

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