Storm Update / Catbalogan Samar

[Bruce]

Well the charity building made it through the Signal 3 storm with no problems. Cement block construction with large underground feet supporting the cement posts. Over 30 people stayed there as the storm came through Catbalogan. The wood house next door was heavily damaged. The charity helper's house, made of cement blocks, and right on the beach, maybe 4' elevation, was destroyed. She and her husband and 6 kids made it to the charity building OK early in the storm. Tide rose by about 6 feet and massive amounts of mud are in people houses as the hillsides washed away. The city itself has about 2' of water in the streets as the storm passed over.  

 

I will have some pictures when the internet come back on. The charity has maybe a weeks worth of rice and for the people there if the government fails to ship in NFA rice in time. The city water supply is off as the city gets water from a river and once the sediment gets too heavy, they shut down the pumps. No electric at this time. The charity has a spring fed well which cleans itself.

 

I am not yet aware of any fatalities. Many volunteers are out cutting trees off the roads and helping people as they can. I have a 12 volt charger and 110 volt converter for 2 motorcycles there so they can charge cell phones and run a nebulizer for breathing treatments for those with asthma and related breathing issues.

 

  

[stevewool]

our thoughts and prayers are with you all

[Gerald Glatt]

Fe and my prayers are with you, god speed

[Bruce]

No electric expected for 7 to 10 more days. So no internet. The charity staff is checking if the ATM is working so I can send more money for food. Way too many people coming to the charity building for assistance and no governmental rice give aways yet. If there is no internet, then no western union as far as I know.... Will know more later.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

No electric expected for 7 to 10 more days. So no internet. The charity staff is checking if the ATM is working so I can send more money for food. Way too many people coming to the charity building for assistance and no governmental rice give aways yet. If there is no internet, then no western union as far as I know.... Will know more later.  

 

 

Doubt if an ATM will be working with no power   :)

[Jack Peterson]

If there is no internet, then no western union as far as I know.... Will know more later.  

 

 

Bruce, can Your people there not find a mall with a generator, usually WU have an Office in most larger Malls.

 

just a thought.

 

JP :)  :tiphat:  

[Bruce]

If there is no internet, then no western union as far as I know.... Will know more later.

 

 

Bruce, can Your people there not find a mall with a generator, usually WU have an Office in most larger Malls.

 

just a thought.

 

JP :)  :tiphat:

 

Nope, this is Samar, no mall on the entire island. Several Centro Stores in different cites maybe. Tallest building is 4 story. No elevators, no escalator in buildings. Poor farming / fishing mix of populations.

 

But there was 1 bank open 2 hrs a day on a generator and the charity was able to get some money. Long term issues of water for the city now as the dam broke on the river where the city gets its supply of water, way upstream where the pollution is not quite as bad! The charity has a well which is now open to the public and if you search back on my posts of maybe 3 years ago (?) you will see pictures of a water tank that I had built for the poor squatters up on the hill. That is still in use today and is providing a lot of water for many more people. I hope but do not know that the locals have stopped using that water for washing themselves and their clothes which would then make more drinking and cooking water available.   

 

As usual.... no riots, no one screaming or demonstrating that it is the government's fault, just poor people adjusting and doing the best as they can. A lesson that the US should learn from.

[jon1]

Great job Bruce