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PH Red Cross rescues 279 people trapped in Paeng floods
FILE: A baby in a basin carried to safety by a volunteer of Philippine Red Cross – Emergency Response Unit Team after the family was trapped in their house in Biñan, Laguna (Photo: Philippine Red Cross/Facebook)
In a statement Monday, the PRC said the rescued people were from Aklan, Batangas, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cotabato City, Laguna and the National Capital Region.
“As Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) battered the country with heavy rains on 29 October, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed its emergency response units and water search and rescue teams to rescue people trapped or stranded by the storm,” it added.
Among those rescued were patients of San Juan District Hospital in San Juan, Batangas, which was breached by waist-deep floodwater. PRC responders used rescue boats, 6 x 6 trucks, Humvees, and an amphibian.
Rescue operations are still ongoing as of this posting.
“Ang Philippine Red Cross ay may maaasahang volunteers at staff na may kasanayan sa emergency response at water search and rescue. Mayroon din kaming mga nakahandang kagamitan, tulad ng 6 x 6 trucks, rescue boats, humvees (high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle), at amphibian na gamit sa pagsaklolo sa mga stranded o na-trap sa kanilang tahanan dahil sa baha. At, napakaimportante ang papel ng mga tao sa komunidad, na syang tumatawag o nagpapadala ng impormasyon sa aming operations center (The Philippine Red Cross has reliable volunteers and staff members who are equipped with knowledge on emergency response and water search rescue. We also have equipment on standby such as 6 x 6 trucks, rescue boats, humvees, and amphibian that can be used to rescue stranded persons and those trapped in their homes due to floods. The role of people in the community who call us or feed information to our operations center),” PRC chairperson and chief executive officer Richard J. Gordon said.
As of 6 a.m. Sunday, the PRC has reached at least 24 cities and provinces with humanitarian aid: Aklan, Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Bohol, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cotabato City, Iligan, Kalinga, Laguna, Maguindanao, Manila City, Marikina City, Marinduque, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Quezon City, Romblon, San Pablo City, Sorsogon and Western Samar.
PRC has served 1,908 hot meals in evacuation centers and ports and other transport terminals. It set up welfare desks and gave psychological first aid to adults and children.
It distributed shelter-strengthening kits, helped clear roads of fallen trees and other debris, and provided hygiene promotion lecture demonstrations.
