Salvation Army officers in Cantamuk have responded to Friday’s mudslide in the Philippines.
They have reported that as at Sunday 19th February there were around 3,650 people sheltering in a school near the disaster area. They have provided spiritual ministry and begun the process of procuring food, blankets, mats and mosquito nets. The area affected is inaccessible at the present time. Salvation Army head office is still trying to establish contact with a Salvation Army church in the vicinity, which is very remote.
To date 76 people have been confirmed dead but at least 1,000 residents are still missing. Last week’s landslide was triggered by rain and has completely engulfed the village of Guinsaugon, Southern Leyte.
The Salvation Army has been working in the Philippines since 1937 and has over 10,000 members. Programmes include child care centres, nutrition and feeding programmes, micro-enterprise credit projects, HIV/Aids programmes, water systems, skills training and agricultural assistance. The head of Salvation Army work in the Philippines is Commissioner Robin Dunster, who is about to become the first woman Chief of the Staff (second in command) of The Salvation Army's work in all 111 countries.
www.salvationarmy.org.uk
