Tropical Storm Makes Landfall in the Central and South Philippines

Local government officials reported that more than 70 people were killed after Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the Philippines early Saturday, October 29, 2022. The storm, known locally as Paeng, was the 16th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year. Paeng made landfall in eastern Catanduanes province as a severe tropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers (60 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) per hour.

Flash floods caused by the torrential rains struck the province of Maguindanao in southern Mindanao, displacing 67,596 people from 13,519 homes, killing 67 people, and leaving 14 persons unaccounted for. Also affected were 26,194 people from 8,195 families and 68,440 people from 21,703 families in the Visayan provinces of Aklan and Capiz.

The torrential rainfall as Paeng approached had already caused tremendous flooding that impacted 188,410 people from 44,667 families. However, after the storm struck early October 29, those figures doubled. According to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) statistics, 48,808 people from 12,304 households took temporary refuge in evacuation shelters, leaving a total of 409,455 people from 97,206 families affected.

Additional reports indicate that 8,130 people, representing 1,974 families, are currently staying in evacuation shelters; however, this figure does not include the province of Maguindanao, where it is reported that 8,000 residents of an upland town were compelled to move to higher ground. The most recent update takes into account information from Maguindanao and the other affected regions, driving home the sobering fact that this storm has now forced 48,808 people, representing 12,304 families, to leave their homes and seek temporary shelter in evacuation shelters.

To undertake assessments in the impacted areas, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has been working with the Adventist Community Services (ACS) of the Adventist churches in Southern Mindanao (SMM) and West Visayas (WVC).
 
Local ACS volunteers were assigned by the West Visayan Conference (WVC) to evaluate the municipalities of Jamindan and Tapaz in the province of Capiz and the nearby municipalities of Balete and Kalibo in the province of Aklan. The Maguindanao province’s Noro and Upo local municipalities provided the Southern Mindanao Mission (SMM) with preliminary data for analysis.
 
As Paeng moved slowly north from southern Luzon, ADRA anticipated the need for a network response  launched an online fundraising campaign on Facebook to raise more funds. Hope Channel South Philippines also assists by making donation appeals.

The original version of this story was posted on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.