A cross stands high over the city of Palo, a little askew and battered by the wind but holding on strong – a symbol of hope.
Much has been written about Super Typhoon Haiyan and the destruction it left in its wake. The destruction is as bad as I’ve seen, and I’ve been to many disasters round the world.
The devastation wreaked by the wind, and the storm surge that followed, is difficult to put into words. Barely a house has survived intact in Palo.
On municipal buildings, galvanised iron roofs have been peeled off by the wind almost like one would peel a banana. Concrete walls have been pushed down by the force of wind and water. For those living in more humble shacks everything has gone, everything!
At the edge of the city there are areas of fetid water with thick, black layers of mosquitoes. The stench of death and decay hangs around, carried along by the swarms of flies.
And yet hope remains. Continue reading.
Mark Mitchell is Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s Coordinator for Humanitarian Programmes, and is leading the international Caritas support team assisting Caritas Philippines in responding to Typhoon Haiyan.
Source: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
Image: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand