MANILA (Dec. 26, 2017) —Tropical storm Tembin, locally known as Vinta, brought catastrophic damage to several provinces in Mindanao, south of the Philippines. The death toll in the storm’s onslaught rose to at least 240 particularly in communities swept by flash floods and landslides in Zamboanga Peninsula region before Christmas day.
Tembin’s heavy downpour caused flooding, landslides and flashfloods that destroyed houses, rice fields and infrastructure. Over 500,000 people were affected in eight regions. Of which, more than 90,000 are now staying in evacuation centers.
CARE has mobilized its emergency team and local partners in Mindanao to conduct needs and damage assessments. CARE’s partner Agri-Aqua Development Coalition is assessing in the Zamboanga Peninsula, one of the hardest hit regions. Another partner Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks is in Lanao provinces where communities experienced widespread flooding.
“Our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy as this disaster happened before Christmas Day, a festive time for Filipinos to be with their families. Many are now staying in evacuation centers because their houses were totally destroyed by flashfloods,” said David Gazashvili, CARE’s Country Director in the Philippines.
“Our emergency team and our partner organizations are ready to provide relief assistance.”
CARE has worked in the Philippines since 1949, providing emergency relief when disaster strikes and helping communities prepare for disasters. CARE specializes in providing life-saving assistance and has more than seven decades of experience helping people recover from disasters.
About CARE:
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than seven decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. Last year CARE worked in 94 countries to reach 80 million people, including more than 11 million through emergency response and humanitarian aid. Learn more at care.org.
Media Contact:
Nicole Harris, 404-735-0871, nharris@care.org