The latest wave of heavy rainfall brought by tropical depression Agaton beset Tacloban, Guiuan and Northern Mindanao over the weekend, underscoring the urgent need to find durable solutions for displaced people in these regions.
“Agaton is just one of an average of 20 typhoons that hit the Philippines each year, testing yet again the resilience of Filipinos still recovering from the devastation brought on by Typhoon Yolanda in November. While the commitment of the Government to help rebuild the lives of the affected population is truly remarkable and should never be underestimated, we are reminded of the need to do more for finding durable solutions,” said Joel Andersson, UNHCR’s head of Yolanda operations in Tacloban.
In Guiuan, a town ravaged by typhoon Yolanda on Samar island in Central Philippines, more than 1,000 individuals had to be evacuated from tents and bunkhouses to public buildings and schools.
“Agaton’s incessant rains that flooded emergencyU shelters and its strong winds that toppled tents are a clear reminder that more needs to be done to find durable solutions through adequate shelter assistance equipped for long-term residency and able to sustain heavy weather. There is a need to assist the Government and the people of the Philippines in the provision of safe and permanent shelters for people affected by this series of natural disasters,” said Andersson.
To date, more than 440,000 people have benefitted from UNHCR’s emergency shelter materials, such as family tents and plastic sheets, as well as solar lanterns, blankets, jerry cans and kitchen sets distributed to typhoon-stricken communities in Leyte, eastern and western Samar, Iloilo and northern Cebu.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
