Disease threatens Manila

The threat of disease now looms large for the thousands of Philippine islanders made homeless after tropical storm, Ketsana struck on Saturday. The south-east Asian country’s worst storm in 40 years, and the massive floods it triggered killed about 246 people, and left 450,000 people homeless and left 380,000 living in makeshift shelters. And now with toilets overflowing, water and power still out and mounds of rubbish rotting, millions across the capital Manila and suburbs are under threat from disease outbreaks, officials warn. Just three battered portable toilets are provided for more than 3,000 flood survivors at the Concepcion Uno Integrated School in Marikina District, east of Manila, one of the areas worst hit. Six bathrooms at the school had to be locked up because the toilets had clogged, officials said and the waste was beginning to seep into the ground on which survivors have to sleep with only cardboard as a mattresses. The floods have destroyed much of Manila's health services, and the government has appealed for doctors, health workers and psychologists, to help survivors, especially children, cope with post traumatic stress.

The nation’s defence Secretary, Gilberto Teodoro made a plea to the global community for humanitarian aid. With more rains expected, he said that the situation could become worse if aid supplies run out. "We are trying our level best to provide basic necessities, but the potential for a more serious situation is there," he said, on national TV. "We cannot wait for that to happen." Meanwhile, hungry survivors are frustrated at how slow aid deliveries have been to arrive. According to the United Nations news service, some have been fighting over food and an empty delivery truck that had just made its rounds, was pelted with stones, officials said. "People are very, very hungry. Look at us, we are still covered in mud," said Jose Vidal, who heads camp management at Concepcion Uno, pointing to a group of half-naked boys picking through a pile of debris on the road. "The level of frustration has been running high. People are emotionally unstable, hot-headed."

Aldrin San Pedro, mayor of suburban Muntinlupa, south of Manila, said much of the area remained waterlogged. The city government has been rendered helpless, he said, and needed urgent medical help. "We need medicines, and we fear a disease outbreak, especially skin fungus, because many people have been constantly drenched since the storm," he said.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children