MANILA, July 15 — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has conducted Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) operations in Ormoc City, providing clean water to families affected by the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that shook Leyte province last July 6.
PRC-Leyte has mobilized its 5,000-liter water tanker for the operation and has begun setting up water bladders at the covered court in Barangay Dolores, one of the evacuation centers in the province.
More than 400 jerry cans from the PRC-Tacloban warehouse were also distributed to the displaced families, while 30 family tents donated by the Qatar Red Crescent Society were set up for them.
“Our heart goes out to Ormoc City. We assure that assistance and proper responses are delivered immediately. We have already dispatched a water tanker, as well as set up water bladders and tap stands to augment the lack of clean and safe water supply in the area. The Red Cross will continue to monitor the situation to extend further assistance and much needed help,” PRC chairman and CEO, Richard Gordon, said in a news release issued Saturday.
Gordon added that the Red Cross has activated its responders and volunteers to help affected individuals, especially those trapped in damaged buildings and establishments, and has deployed welfare teams to the Ormoc Central School to provide psychosocial support to those traumatized by the quake.
The PRC has also deployed assessment and operation teams to Barangay Luna, Mejia, Dolores, and San Pablo in Ormoc while PRC chapters in nearby provinces are on standby in case more manpower would be needed for operations.
Based on initial reports from PRC Operations Center, more than 400 families from Jaro and Kananga municipalities, and Ormoc City have been displaced by the quake and have been staying in six evacuation centers in the province.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has declared Ormoc City under a state of calamity. (PRC PR)
