Calm Before the Storm
A typhoon swept the main island of Luzon in the Philippines, killing at least 95 people and displacing more than 337,000 residents. The event sadly recollects Katrina as delays in the rescue of flood victims provoked public anger towards President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s government. Civilian and military rescuers have struggled for two days to reach people stranded on the rooftops of their flooded homes waving for food and supplies. As of this evening, they have rescued more than 5,000 people. The Philippines disaster management agency reported that 68,550 people were housed in 118 emergency evacuation centers. The government is scrambling to get as many boats as it can for use as rescue vehicles. San Miguel, the largest food and beverage company in the Philippines, offered to purchase up to 50 boats for that purpose and the national dragon boat rescue team also contributed to the effort. Although the typhoon wind speeds reached only 85 km/hour, the storm deposited more than a month’s worth of rain in the capital city of Manila in just six hours, causing the flooding. The storm has moved on towards the South China Sea. The government declared a “state of calamity” in Manila and the surrounding areas, closing many schools and businesses. Particularly for those of us who do business in the Philippines, contributions to the Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies will be welcome.