Rescue operations in St. Bernard - 对我的朋友在台湾。谢谢。
Posted by: Fats in: Wika at HirapDear friends in Taiwan,
Yesterday, the Taiwanese rescue team left Southern Leyte with much sadness, after rescue workers decided to discontinue operations because of the extreme difficulties of working in the area. Because of the rains, the mud in the area has become like quicksand, making it impossible to continue rescue operations.
The mudflow in Southern Leyte, Philippines, buried the small farming village of St. Bernard. After two weeks of abnormally heavy rain, an entire mountainside collapsed onto Guinsaugon on Friday morning, covering an area of nine sq. km. (3.5 sq. mi.) with mud and boulders.The rampaging mudflow is believed to have buried at least 1,400 people, that is, half of the village’s population.
Early on, there were desperate mobile phone text messages from a school, which was buried along with 200 elementery school students and 40 teachers. The messages have stopped coming after two days.
The rescue team from Taiwan were among the first to arrive in the area to help. Now it is with much sadness that they are leaving with no survivors found in St. Bernard.
But my country has much gratitude to the support, solidarity and sympathy that Taiwan has shown to our people, who are now suffering even more with the present political crisis.
As always, with the strength of our convictions, we continue to hope and seek a better life for our people.
我的心脏去您。
Regards,
Fatima
February 26th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Thank you for the message Fatima, it is with much sadness as I read and follow the news on the tragedy that have occured in Southern Leyte. May the souls of those buried under mud be blessed. May this also be a caution for for the people in the Philippines and Taiwan to take better care of and not over exploit their land. It is an honor and privilege for the Taiwan team to have joined the rescue mission.