One month on, thousands of Sendong survivors continue to need assistance

(Mindanao, Bangkok, New York: 17 January 2012): Hundreds of thousands of people in northern Mindanao, in particular those located in remote and suburban areas which, continue to need vital humanitarian assistance, shelter in particular, one month after flash floods and landslides swept through villages and two major cities.

Tropical Storm Washi, known locally as Sendong, lashed the Philippine island and neighbouring areas from 16 to 18 December last year, bringing torrential rains which triggered the disaster. More than 50,000 houses were damaged and livelihoods of some 1.1 million people were affected. About 26,000 survivors remain in largely overcrowded evacuation centres in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and another 200,000 people are seeking refuge in makeshift shelters and with host families in their areas of origin.