ReliefWeb

This report is produced by OCHA Philippines in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued by OCHA Philippines. It covers the period from 25 to 28 October 2016. This is the last situation report for Typhoon Haima, unless unforeseen developments occur. For more information on the Philippines, go to http://www.unocha.org/philippines or https://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2016-000110-phl, or read the Philippines Humanitarian Bulletin.

Highlights

• The official death count has risen to 14 and may increase as field reports are verified.

• Only 20 evacuation centres remain open, primarily in the provinces of Bulacan, Tarlac and Pampanga in central Luzon.

• Nearly 78 per cent of the houses destroyed and 64 per cent of the houses damaged are concentrated in Cagayan and Isabela provinces.

• Continuing power outages and downed communications systems across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Region II are constraining communication.

• Shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene, food security and livelihoods are the primary need areas.

• The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is soliciting cash and in-kind donations from domestic and international donors.

• The Government has deployed teams to northern Luzon to expedite the processing of emergency shelter assistance funds. DSWD is also launching cash-for-work programmes in affected areas.

• Data is lacking on vulnerable and marginalized populations, including indigenous groups and people with disabilities affected by the disaster.

Situation Overview

As of 28 October, only 20 evacuation centres remain open, primarily in Bulacan, Tarlac and Pampanga in central Luzon, hosting 3,709 people, according to DSWD. An additional 26,981 displaced people in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga provinces in central Luzon are home-based, staying with friends and relatives. The official number of deaths has risen to 14, all in Benguet, Kalinga and Ifugao, and four injured in Benguet and Aurora, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Among the deaths were three children under the age of 5 and two youths aged 15. All but two who died were male. All casualties and injuries were attributed to landslides. The number of dead, injured and missing may rise as local reports continue to be validated.

DSWD’s count of damaged or destroyed houses has now jumped to 185,869 across northern and central Luzon. Nearly 78 per cent of the houses destroyed and 64 per cent of the houses damaged are concentrated in Cagayan and Isabela provinces. So far, 153 schools have been damaged and 4 destroyed according to field reports from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) responding to the disaster.

Continuing power outages and downed communications systems across CAR and Region II are limiting communication between regional government offices and local governments as well as NGO field teams and their central offices. Cellular communication remains less than 50 per cent operational in most of CAR and Region II, according to recent reports from the country’s top two telecommunications providers. Pangasinan in Region I and Aurora and Nueva Ecija in Region III are also well below 50 per cent operational. Power is expected to remain out until sometime in November in parts of Apayao and Kalinga.

The number of impassable roads continues to decline while the number of closed bridges is rising. As of 27 October, 28 roads and 21 bridges are not passable, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways. The Chico, Apayao and Abra Rivers are still at critical levels, causing continued flooding in low-lying communities, as reported by NGOs in these areas.

The Government has concluded damage assessments and continues to monitor and coordinate response activities while planning for the transition to early recovery and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene, food security and livelihoods are the primary need areas according to local governments and NGOs responding to the disaster. DSWD is soliciting in-kind donations for canned goods, rice, new clothing, shelter materials, jerry cans, kitchen implements, water, hygiene kits, sleeping kits and tents.

There is still a dearth of data on vulnerable and marginalized populations, including indigenous groups and people with disabilities affected by the disaster. Teams are still challenged to reach remote and isolated areas.