Media CenterCRS MOBILIZES RESPONSE TO POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN NORTHERN PHILIPPINES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
MANILA CITY, PHILIPPINES
Jomari Guillermo
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
63 917-8487893

BALTIMORE
Nikki Gamer
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
+1 978-884-0003

MANILA CITY, PHILIPPINES, July 28, 2022 – Following one of the largest earthquakes to rock the Philippines in several decades, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has teamed up with its local partner, Caritas Philippines, to assess the damages and prepare a response.

On Wednesday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Luzon, an island in the northern Philippines, displacing thousands of people and leading to widespread damage. Abra province, the earthquake’s epicentre, was declared an emergency zone due to the destruction. Aftershocks are still being felt, raising fears among those in the area that more damage is to come. CRS and Caritas Philippines are working in coordination with the local government.

"The earthquake wiped out homes, roads, bridges, schools and centuries-old churches,” said Maria Concepcion Nobleza, CRS' head of programs in the Philippines. “Thousands of people have been displaced. Families are sleeping in tents because they are so afraid to go back into their homes. The good news is that CRS already has supplies on hand to be distributed to those who need them.”

Wednesday’s earthquake is just one of a string of disasters to strike the country in recent years. The Philippines is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region where tectonic plates make it vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It’s also where other natural disasters, such as cyclones, often hit.

“This earthquake reminds us of the importance of helping communities be better prepared for when disaster strikes, especially in the era of climate change,” Nobleza said. “It’s only been seven months since Typhoon Rai hit. The Philippines has a lot more work to do to build resilience and prepare its people for these types of emergencies.”

This week’s earthquake was one of the largest to strike the country in decades. In 1990, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake killed an estimated 2,000 people.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.  For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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