68 reported dead in Davao de Oro landslide area
Sixty-eight persons were reported dead due to a landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the Davao Region said Monday.
In a press conference, Lea Anora, a member of the DILG Management of the Dead and Missing (MDM) unit said as of Monday a total of 68 bodies were accounted for, with five still unidentified.
"We have 51 missing individuals, and we have 32 injured individuals up today," she said.
Based on the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 1,347 families or 5,431 persons in four barangays in Maco were affected by the landslide.
It also noted that a total of 62 houses were damaged.
As part of the government's effort to help the families affected by the landslide, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) collaborated with the United States Armed Forces for the delivery of supplies for the victims of the landslide.
"At the request of the Philippine government, the US Department of Defense, through the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), provided two C-130s to assist the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, and USAID in delivering 15,000 DSWD food packs to affected families," US Embassy in Manila said.
"Last week, USAID partnered with the Philippines Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the International Organization for Migration to provide emergency shelter for more than 5,000 affected persons. USAID also supported the World Food Programme to transport DSWD food packs to 65,000 families," it added.
Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP public affairs chief, said the "two USMC KC-130 aircraft are stationed at Villamor Air Base while the processing, weighing and loading of supplies for transport on February 12 are ongoing, with the plan for four deliveries daily (two per plane) to maintain a steady supply to the affected areas."
"The US Marines from the III Marine Expeditionary Force will assist with the ongoing disaster relief mission with troops from the Marine Air Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing delivering essential supplies for distribution," he added.
The Embassy noted that "the United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing nearly P70 million ($1.25 million) in humanitarian aid to respond to the needs of communities affected by severe flooding and landslides in Mindanao."
"This new funding will provide emergency food, shelter, water, sanitation, and essential hygiene items to support disaster-affected communities in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao City in Mindanao," it stated.
"USAID will partner with Catholic Relief Services and Action Against Hunger to ensure this life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable groups, including single-parent households, persons with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, low-income families, and indigenous peoples," it added. Robina Asido/DMS
