Urgent Appeal for Aid: Province of Albay

Situation Report No. 1 | 4 December 2019
Type of Disaster: Typhoon Tisoy / Kammuri

 Highlights

 Typhoon TISOY/KAMMURI pounded Albay province and surrounding areas for around eight hours on 2-3 December 2019, resulting to felled trees, toppled power and communication lines, damaged buildings and infrastructure, and flooding in many areas.

 In spite of this, Albay province has zero casualty. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay declared the Province under State of Calamity on 4 December 2019.

 Identified needs are: shelter assistance to help rebuild totally and critically-damaged houses of affected population in non-high risk areas; household items such as beddings and blankets, kitchen utensils, and emergency kits – especially flashlights and solar lamps, since electricity has not been restored; food items for families with totally damaged houses.

 Manito MDRRMC reported 427 totally damaged houses, and 3,390 critically damaged. The affected residents also lost most of their belongings, including kitchen wares and clothing.

 SAC Legazpi welcomes donations in cash and kind. Donations in kind may be delivered to local parishes or to the SAC Legazpi office at the Chancery, Albay Cathedral Compound, Legazpi City. Cash donations may be sent to BPI account: Social Action Center – SPM, account number: 0851-0067-37.

A. CONTEXT

On 2 December 2019, Typhoon Tisoy (International: Kammuri) barreled through the Bicol Region with maximum sustained winds of up to 175 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 240 km/h. The eye of the typhoon made landfall in Gubat, Sorsogon at 11PM, it reached Legazpi City and Manito, Albay at 12:30 PM. For eight hours, starting at 8:00 PM of 2 December until around 4PM of 3 December, the Province of Albay and neighboring areas were pounded by strong winds and heavy rains by the typhoon resulting to felled trees, toppled power and communication lines, damaged buildings and infrastructure, and flooding in many areas. The Office of Civil Defence ROV reported 3 casualty in Sorsogon, 2 in Camarines Sur. Albay province has zero casualty. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay declared the Province under State of Calamity on 4 December 2019.

WASH. Several portions of Legazpi City complained of water shortage. The entire Daraga town has no water supply due to a damaged pipeline in Brgy. Budiao.

FOOD AND WATER. Families whose houses were totally damaged also need food relief as they continue to stay in evacuation centers. Manito MDRRMC appealed for food and NFI relief items for their affected population.

HEALTH. Minor injuries and some medical emergencies were reported in evacuation centers prior to decampment. Albay Provincial Health Office warns of mosquito-borne diseases due to flooding and many stagnant pools of water.

SHELTER AND NFI. Manito MDRRMC reported 427 totally damaged houses, and 3,390 critically damaged. The affected residents also lost most of their belongings, including kitchen wares and clothing. A recent Rappler article reported APSEMO listed 93 houses were totally damaged while 515 were critically damaged, but APSEMO head Cedric Daep said the estimated damage was expected to rise as reports from LGUs start trickling in.

LIVELIHOOD. Most farmlands in Albay were inundated with floodwaters. Flooding has not yet subsided in low- lying areas and farmlands in Oas and Libon.

B. PARTNERSHIPS AND COORDINATION

 Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), as well as several C/MDRRMCs held a meeting as early as 29 November 2019 to prepare for TY TISOY. Albay Public Safety Emergency and Management Office (APSEMO) provides updated evacuation report, but post-typhoon reports from C/MDRRMCs are slow to come in.

 SAC Legazpi coordinates with APSEMO, concerned LGUs, and parishes with affected population.

 SAC Legazpi has conducted Pre-Typhoon Field Monitoring on 2 December, and Rapid Field Assessment in the municipalities of Manito, Jovellar, Ligao, Pioduran, Polangui and Libon on 4 December 2019. SEDP- Simbag, the Diocese of Legazpi’s microfinance institution, is fielding teams to conduct needs assessment in the First District of Albay and in the islands of Rapu-Rapu and Batan.

C. DONOR UPDATE

 Most parishes in the diocese provided shelter and soup kitchens to evacuees during the typhoon. Prior to the typhoon, Bishop Joel Baylon instructed parishes to open up their facilities to evacuees.

 SAC Legazpi welcomes donations in cash and kind. Donations in kind may be delivered to local parishes or to the SAC Legazpi office at the Chancery, Albay Cathedral Compound, Legazpi City. Cash donations may be sent to BPI account: Social Action Center – SPM, account number: 0851-0067-37.

D. LOGISTICS / SECURITY

 Legazpi City Domestic Airport sustained some damage due to the typhoon and is currently closed. Per interviews from local government officials, flights are expected to resume on 5 December 2019.

 Main highways from Manila to Bicol, and main road network in Albay, are now passable. Jovellar town is still inaccessible as road clearing operations along Guinobatan-Jovellar road is still on-going.

 Electricity has not been restored in all parts of Albay province. Cellphone communication is down in the First and Third Districts of Albay.

E. STAFFING

 SAC Legazpi activated its Emergency Office Protocol for AYUDA ALBAY: OPERATION TY TISOY, with distinct response structures and procedures, and specific staff roles and responsibilities.

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