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Friday, March 29, 2024

EU allocates P7.83-m aid to ‘Usman’ victims

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The European Union has allocated EUR130,000 or approximately P7.83-million aid for victims of the flash floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Depression “Usman” in December 2018.

According to the EU delegation in Manila, the humanitarian funding will directly benefit 15,000 people in Albay and Camarines Sur, the areas most affected by the storm’s devastation in the Bicol region.

The aid will support the Philippine Red Cross  in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency relief items such as tarpaulins, blankets, sleep mats, hygiene kits, and access to clean water.

Meanwhile, the death toll from Usman has reached 140, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

In its 6 a.m. Thursday update, the NDRRMC said the fatalities were from Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol and Eastern Visayas.

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In the same report, 28 were still reported missing and 105 injured.

Of the above-mentioned figures, only eight of the fatalities and 42 injured have been confirmed while the rest are still being subjected to verification, according to the update signed and released by NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad.

Also, damage to infrastructure and agriculture for Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas is placed at P5,411,793,138.68.

The figure is broken down into P1,948,428,638.68 for agriculture and P3,463,364,500 for infrastructure.

According to the EU delegation, first aid services are now being provided while hygiene promotion activities are carried out to mitigate the spread of water-borne diseases amongst the impacted communities.

Meanwhile, cash grants will be distributed to 4,500 people identified as most vulnerable to enable them to establish livelihood and start anew.

The delegation said the funding is part of EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

“Usman” made landfall in Eastern Samar on Dec. 29, triggering days of incessant rainfalls and deadly landslides that resulted in dozens of deaths and billions of peso-worth damages to agriculture and infrastructure.

As of Jan. 10, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recorded 140 deaths, 28 missing, and 105 injured persons in Regions 4-B, 5, and 8.

On the other hand, about 9,025 individuals of the 689,647 people affected by the storm are still being served inside evacuation centers.

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