CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
SITUATION REPORT #2: TYPHOON DURIAN
December 5, 2006


SITUATION: Having caused extensive damage in the Philippines, Typhoon Durian 
hit southern Vietnam today and killed at least 50 people. Forty-six others were 
missing, the Reuters news agency reported.

At least 18,812 houses were damaged or destroyed, and some 858 fishing boats -- 
crucial to the economic life of Vietnam's rural communities -- were lost. 
Church World Service Vietnam reports that massive evacuations had taken place 
prior to the storm's landfall.

Officials said they are worried that affected areas in Vietnam could now 
experience severe flooding and landslides in the storm's wake.

The same storm left 526 dead and 740 missing in the central Philippines, with 
some 300,000 houses destroyed. Total damage, including damage to infrastructure 
and agriculture, is estimated at US $12.25 million. Particularly hard-hit was 
Albay Province, where rural communities were crushed by boulders and mud 
loosened from the slopes of Mayon Volcano.

Geneva-based Action by Churches Together (ACT) reports that the full extent of 
Durian's damage is not known given that some areas remain isolated and power 
and communication lines are still down.


RESPONSE: In the Philippines, Church World Service will support response 
through its long-time partner, the National Council of Churches in the 
Philippines (NCCP), one of principal members of the ACT network in the 
Philippines.

The NCCP through its relief arm in the Bicol region -- the NCCP Andurog Mayon 
-- is conducting assessments and also assisting in rescue operations. 
Stockpiles from the NCCP's national warehouse are being sent to the NCCP 
Andurog Mayon Operations Center in Legaspi City for immediate distribution to 
the evacuation centers.

In Vietnam, Church World Service Vietnam is working closely with the Disaster 
Mitigation Working Group, made of international non-governmental organizations 
(INGOs); the National Disaster Mitigation Partnership (government), and the 
Vietnamese government's Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control in 
assessing damage.

Church World Service is also working with partners in southern provinces to 
collect information on damages and needs and report to National Disaster 
Mitigation Partnership. This information will be compiled together with regular 
updates from the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control and communicated 
to all relief organizations.

Church World Service Vietnam is preparing to assist in emergency shelter and 
non-food items to affected populations, and provide other services as needed.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding please visit us online or call the CWS Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151
Program Director: donnajderr@churchworldservice.org
Domestic: lreedbrown@churchworldservice.org
International: flumeya@churchworldservice.org

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