As rescue efforts continue in Indonesia, Philippines braces for another typhoon

The death toll continues to rise in Pacific nations hit this week by earthquakes, tsunamis and tropical storms. In Western Sumatra, Indonesia, rescue efforts are still underway two days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated much of the port city of Padang, where some 900,000 people live. Many people remain unaccounted for as the military and rescue teams continue to search for survivors in the rubble. John Holmes is an Emergency Relief Coordinator for the UN.

“The cities of Padang and Pariaman are the worst affected areas. Padang is a major city with almost 1 million people. As you have seen from press reports it is still feared that thousands of people are trapped under damaged houses and many building collapsed not only houses but also major buildings such as hotels, hospitals, schools and so on.  Telecommunications are very difficult, electricity and water supplies are mostly not functioning. Roads are cut off also between damage and landslides and there are very heavy concerns about the welfare of the population and the relief operation has been very much hampered by heavy rainfall at the same time.”

Yesterday, a second 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Jambi province, about 150 miles from Padang. It damaged some buildings, but no immediate deaths were reported.

Meanwhile in the Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared a nationwide "state of calamity" as the island nation braces for more major storms. Tens of thousands are fleeing Typhoon Parma, less than a week after Typhoon Ketsana washed out parts of Manila, flooded the homes of some 2 million people and killed nearly 300. Earlier today, FSRN talked to humanitarian worker Luc Picard, country representative for Catholic Relief Services in the Philippines. He spoke to us from Manila by cell phone.

“A lot of people have been going to the stores. And a lot of the stores are now experiencing shortages of canned goods, candles, batteries, flashlights and people are really scared and apprehensive, particularly after what happened last week. So everybody is basically trying to stock up for a couple of days to be able to pass through this storm although we still don´t know to what extent it will hit the Philippines.”

Picard said that no evacuations were taking place in three provinces he visited near Manila, but that Parma was expected to hit much further to the North.

“Most of the people we´re helping now remain in shelters and they will be protected. They have food they have protection from the rain and those shelters are in high level places so they should not be subject to floods anymore.”

Typhoon Parma is Category 4 storm with 135 mile-per-hour winds and is expected to hit the main island of Luzon Saturday.  Some are concerned Parma could reach super typhoon status with winds at 150 miles per hour.