Flooding in Manilla

 

JIGSAW FLOODING AND EVACUATION CRISIS.

 

Written by Lendehl, Vice President of JIGSAW Philippines. 9th Aug 2012

Call for Prayer for those who continue to be devastatingly affected by the flooding in Metro Manila.
 

ONCE AGAIN MANILA IS IN CRISIS AND THE MOST VUNERABLE ARE THE CHILDREN AND THE POOREST OF THE POOR, THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF JIGSAW, INCLUDING JIGSAW WORKERS THEMSELVES.

We bid your prayers for the children, their families and Jigsaw staff in Metro Manila suffering from intensive flooding. The continued typhoons and downpours of rains beginning Monday has caused the overflowing of major dams and rivers in Metro Manila and nine surrounding provinces causing heavy flooding. The La Mesa dam, which supplies water to the National Capital Region of 12 million people, spilled excess water for a second time early Tuesday into the rivers flowing into Quezon City, Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan, where several villages were submerged, creating full emergency alert from the government.
We pray for Jigsaw workers specially those living in Area4 where one of the Jigsaw center is located.   
The community has been 60% submerged in water where the Jigsaw staff worked tirelessly in bringing the children and their families to a safer ground. Jigsaw staff and families stayed overnight of Tuesday in the Jigsaw main office. Alert level has gone down to Green/extreme signal on Wednesday morning which meant that the water is catastrophic but has slightly subsided and safer to go back home. All of them went back and started cleaning their houses and try to put the broken pieces of their lives back together where they could only to be frustrated when torrential rains started pouring again in the afternoon. At 3 PM today, water level at the Marikina River raised to the 20-meter mark, way above the critical level of 18 meters. This prompted local authorities to raise Alert Level 4/extreme emergency again. The staffs have to go back at the office as this is on higher ground and is concrete while the children and families went back to government evacuation sites.
 

PLEASE PRAY
1.     Please pray for the rain to stop
2.     Pray for those who lost their family members in the floods.
3.     Pray for Jigsaw children and staff who have to be back in the evacuation sites.
4.     Pray for the traumatised communities Jigsaw works in and especially for the children.
5.     Pray for Strength and comfort for the people.
6.     Pray for Jigsaw staff as they seek to be a strength even as they are too driven from their homes and communities.
 

Eyewitness Accounts: Updates from Manilla about the flooding

It’s been raining for few weeks but last two days’ torrential rains have surpassed the amount of rainfall during tropical storm, Ondoy, in 2009 which inundated a half of Metro Manila and nearby areas, particularly Quezon city where we are located, according to the media. So, your guess was right. Last night, there was no communication due to the cut-off of telephone and internet. Now the communication is resumed but it will be cut off any time because the rain is still heavy.

Here in the SATS (St Andrew’s Theological Seminary) community, there have been some severe damages caused by this rainfall. One of faculty member’s houses was flooded yesterday by the waist line. Paul and all seminarians went there to move all down stair furniture, books, and appliances to up stairs yesterday morning. I went there this morning to check how they’re coping. Water level seemed go down despite of constant rain last night. Please pray for all the community members who have been severely affected by this flooding and who are helping them, particularly seminarians.

Please also pray for:
1) ceasing continuous rains
2) After rain stop, healty and safety from Dengue mosquito

Charitas (8th August)

Thanks for your concern.  Yes the flooding is serious.  Media are speaking of half Manila being under water.  That is surely an exaggeration, but very many are affected.  The lower part of the compound of St Andrew's Seminary (here) was under water on Tuesday and several homes were flooded out.  One member of Faculty was forced to live on his second floor.  I walked around there and the water was above my knees!!  Our seminarians have been marvellous in moving furniture etc.  The flood has subsided here now (though it continues to rain on and off every day) but many poor homes not far from here have been flooded out.  An American member of Faculty is helping two boys from one such home.

At present the great need is for prayer for the rain to stop to allow things to dry out.  There are no doubt real needs for food and clothing but at this stage it is hard to assess what.  Best to await aid agency appeals (e.g. Christian Aid) and respond to them.  We are not in a position to distribute such things to squatter areas.  Local councils will do that.

Rev Andrew   (9th August)