COTABATO PROVINCE EARTHQUAKE: APPEAL FOR DONATIONS

Our Assessment

A magnitude 6.6 and 6.5 earthquake hit the province of Cotabato on October 29 and 31 with epicenters located at depths of 7 and 8 kilometers, 22 and 27 kilometers North East of Tulunan town in North Cotabato.

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the province has experienced four earthquakes with more than 6.0 magnitude since October 16. As reported, more tremors with the same or lesser magnitude could possibly occur until December.

Intensity VII were reported in Tulunan and Makilala, Cotabato; Kidapawan City; Santa Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, and Bansalan, Davao del Sur and Digos City. Other neighboring provinces and cities were also experienced damages of Intensity V to VI.

The recent situation report released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) indicated that due to the magnitude of these events, possibility of small to moderate-magnitude earthquakes will be experienced and may occur in the coming weeks.

Moreover, the earthquake has put the entire Cotabato Province and Davao del Sur in Regions XII and XI respectively in a state of crisis. However, despite magnitudes caused by the earthquake no tsunami advisory was issued due to the inland location of the epicenters.

To date, NDRRMC reported that there are 29,349 families or 146,745 people were affected by the two earthquakes in Soccsksargen and Davao regions (Region XII and Region XI). Figures show that a total of 17 deaths, 610 injured and 2 missings were already reported. Further, 20,635 are in 27 evacuation centers while 6,850 are currently staying with host families.

EcoWEB’s rapid assessment (RA) team deployed in the affected area found that there is an urgent need for temporary shelters, food, water, clothing, hygiene kits and medicines. The team also observed the high degree of traumatization among the survivors due to the quick succession of occurence of the same hazard in just a span of two weeks. The team strongly recommends the provision of the above necessities and the conduct of psychosocial trauma healing activities to all affected population.

EcoWEB’s RA Team also noted the request of many survivor families to provide them with assistance in the form of goods, services and cash. Many survivors, especially those affected by the earlier tremblor on October 16, noted that cash assistance could help them recover faster since some of their petty but essential needs could be obtained with cash. Some families expressed that they just need a few kilograms of nails just to repair their houses and few hundreds of pesos to hire labor for the harvesting of their crops. With such small amount they could earn from their farms and get back to their livelihoods faster.

Our Response

With the above assessment EcoWEB plans to employ the rurvivors and communtity-led response (sclr) approach that they used in their emergency response activities in Samar in the aftermath of flooding and earthquake in the Caraga region in the first quarter of 2017 and in Marawi City and Lanao provinces after the siege of Marawi City in 2017.

EcoWEB encouraged its local, national and international donors, partner organizations, local civil society groups and kind-hearted individuals to provide a combination of goods and cash assistance to uphold the dignity and encourage creativity among the survivors, two essential ways of helping them recover from trauma.

Our Appeal

EcoWEB is accepting both cash assistance and food or non-food items. Cash assistance, in our #SurvivorAndCommunityLedResponse approach will benefit the survivors especially for sustaining the education of children and psychosocial needs.

If you wish to donate, kindly visit EcoWEB’s website www.ecowebph.org and click the DONATE button for more details. Also, please feel free to reach us here in our Facebook page or other social media accounts, e-mail address and hotline numbers which are indicated in the poster. You can also visit our office located at #001 Toribia Lluch Compound, Camague, Tubod, Iligan City for coordination.

Help us in our fund raising for the people of Mindanao affected by the earthquake. PLEASE SHARE THIS TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS SO THAT WE CAN EXTEND THE UTMOST SUPPORT THE BEST WE CAN HAVE.

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