‘Help us, too,’ cry Antique townsfolk hit by Yolanda
MANILA, Philippines – Although relatively spared from the massive death toll of monster typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan), with no electricity and communication, life in Culasi town in Antique has come to a standstill.
Ving Mosquera, nurse at the Culasi District Hospital and daughter of a municipal administrator, said that their whole town was cut off from the power grid after electric poles were toppled by more than 300-kph winds brought about by “Yolanda.”
“Until now we don’t have (cellphone) signal and power there,” she told INQUIRER.net over the phone last Friday while she was in Iloilo.
Children couldn’t return to school because many buildings, including those used as evacuation centers, were damaged, she said.
“The houses made from light materials were totally damaged,” she said, adding that those made of concrete had roof ripped off and windows broken by the typhoon.
Because of the extent of damage on infrastructure, Mosquera said the local electric cooperative could take one to two months to restore electricity in their town.
While the town prepared for possible flooding, they did not expect the strong and relentless wind and rainfall.
“[The onslaught of the typhoon] started at around noon (last Friday). By 1 p.m., the typhoon hit Antique and power was immediately out. Communication lines were also down. The winds were so strong. It was like that, non-stop, until 5:30 p.m.,” she said.
Four fishermen, who were unfortunately out at sea when the typhoon struck, were admitted to their hospital. Mosquera said their 8 companions were still missing. The strong waves and wind brought their dead to another island village.
Mosquera said they wanted media and the rest of the Philippines to know about their plight, especially with most of the attention on Eastern Visayas.
Our people need relief and construction materials, she said, explaining that a majority of the houses in their town were damaged, with thousands displaced.
She said the town’s three island villages have yet to receive relief goods.
At least 40,537 people were affected by the typhoon in Culasi town. More than 10,000 houses were damaged.
Antique Vice Governor Rhodora Cadiao, in an earlier statement, said Culasi was among the nine hardest-hit municipalities in the provinces. Other towns mentioned were Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Sebaste, Pandan, Libertad and Caluya.
The province is still experiencing total blackout, no communication signals in central and northern Antique, Cadiao said last week.
INQUIRER.net has yet to re-establish contact with Mosquera who has remained incommunicado since returning to Culasi.
Relief goods may be sent to the Culasi Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Council Office at Centro Poblacion in Culasi, Antique.
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