1 photo and 1 video of damages and rubbles after storm surge at the town of Balangkayan, E. Samar

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November 12, 2013 10:32pm

"Walang mayaman, walang mahirap...Naanod tayong lahat ng bagyo."

This was the frantic message of a resident in Balangkayan, Eastern Samar, which was severely hit by super typhoon Yolanda.

"Pantay-pantay lahat. Bigyan ang mga tao. Hindi lang ang naaalis ang bahay. Kailangang tulungan ang lahat," Aling Lydia Carula said in a "24 Oras" report aired Tuesday evening.

"Walang sinasabing mayaman o mahirap. Mahirap lang tayong lahat! Kailangang lahat ng tao bigyan. Naanod tayo ng bagyo," she added.

Carula, who had been gathering wood to make a temporary shelter, told GMA reporter Katrina Son that aside from losing their homes, residents of Balangkayan also had to contend with a lack of food.

Balangkayan mayor Allan Contado said no casualties were reported in their town.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa Panginoon na despite all of these, walang casualties sa atin. Siguro, napaka-laking parte ang preparasyon namin before the typhoon," he said.

But despite preparations, Yolanda destroyed 90 percent--about 400 houses--of Balangkayan, a town of some 9,000 residents.

The storm surge in the municipality also reached 10 feet, the report said, flattening houses in its path.


A storm surge refers to an abnormal rise in sea levels associated with strong winds and abnormally low atmospheric pressure, brought by a strong typhoon and a normal high tide.

Food and supplies in the remote town are also running out, the report said.

As of Monday evening, the official death toll stood at 1,774 - of which 1,660 were from Region 8 alone, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a report. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/JDS, GMA News