BY SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – Humanitarian workers expressed concern that victims of super typhoon “Yolanda” will not have alternative accommodation in case another storm hits the region due to the shortage of viable evacuation centers.
A survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 10 of the most affected towns in Samar, one of the provinces worst hit by the killer typhoon, showed that only 53 of the 634 of pre-“Yolanda” evacuation centers identified by the government could be used in the event of another typhoon.
According to IOM emergency preparedness and response coordinator Conrad Navidad, an estimated three million people have received emergency shelter assistance in the form of tents and tarpaulins, while about 675,000 received building and roofing materials to rebuild their own homes. But two million people remain at risk without durable shelter, and the shortage of evacuation centers could make the next major storm even more dangerous.
According to IOM, there are 415 evacuation centers that are unusable and in need of repair, and 166 will have to be rebuilt.
To address the situation, humanitarian organizations and local government authorities are scrambling to find “multi-solutions” to cover projected requirements for shelter and other needs in case of another catastrophic typhoon.
Navidad said they are moving those still living in tents and in danger zones to transitional sites and shelters.
For those who cannot transfer to transitional sites yet, he said, they are doing evacuation planning and identifying alternative evacuation centers.
Private and public concrete buildings that are three or four stories high and at least 40 meters away from water zones – areas likely to flood – are being assessed by the government as possible alternative evacuation centers.
Navidad pointed out that legally speaking, private building owners will still need to permit their buildings to be used as evacuation centers in the event of a disaster.
In addition, he said, tents that have been used to house the displaced also need to be replaced.
He noted that global guidelines for humanitarian response quality say tents should only be used for a period of three months.
Aid organizations and local governments are also reviewing evacuation plans and conducting drills to inform residents about alternative evacuation centers and prepare them in the event of another emergency./PN
