Upon arrival, Scholz condemned the Iranian strikes on Israel
With no mobile signal or internet to contact loved ones, typhoon survivors stranded on a devastated Philippine island have written letters to reassure worried relatives they are alive.
Photos of the touching missives were posted Monday on the Facebook page of Dinagat Islands Governor Arlene Bag-ao, who has been able to get online during trips to the neighbouring island of Mindanao where she is seeking help for her constituents.
“We are happy to be alive,” Aimee Antonio-Jimeno wrote in a letter dated December 19 and addressed to “my dearest sister”.
“Our houses are roofless but we are not hopeless! Please let all our families know.”
At least 14 people died in Dinagat Islands when Super Typhoon Rai hit Thursday, tearing houses to pieces, toppling concrete power poles and smashing fishing boats.
The national death toll from the strongest storm to hit the country this year exceeds 200.
Many of Dinagat’s 128,000 residents sheltered in evacuation centres ahead of the storm and are now homeless. There is also a shortage of drinking water and food, officials said.
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After receiving requests for updates on the situation, Bag-ao urged people to write letters to their families outside Dinagat to let them know they were safe.
She posted the epistles to Facebook — the most popular social media platform in the Philippines — titled “Letters from Dinagat Islands”.
“Please stop worrying about me. I’m fine,” a woman wrote on provincial health office stationery.
“The house you all wanted me to move out of is one of the houses still standing so sometimes it’s a good thing I’m too lazy to move,” she said wryly.
But in a sombre note, she added: “Twelve deaths and counting, sanitation is a problem.”
Raymond Gonzales wrote briefly: “I’m ok here. Let’s just spend Christmas here.”
“All of us are safe,” wrote Jane Mayola. “Merry Christmas and hope to see you all soon! We love you!!!”
Provincial information officer Jeff Crisostomo told ABS-CBN that Dinagat Islands had been “levelled to the ground” by the typhoon.
“I saw tables that were heavier than people being blown off from the second floor,” he said.
“When we got out I saw the devastation — the houses were all destroyed.”
Upon arrival, Scholz condemned the Iranian strikes on Israel
Police have named the assailant as 40-year-old itinerant man Joel Cauchi
Family expresses condolences to the victims
The airline has already suspended flights to and from Tehran until April 18
All flights at Egyptian airports are according to the usual schedules, except for some flights heading to countries that have closed their airspace, said the govt
Air India and Vistara have announced avoidance of Iranian airspace and are taking longer flight paths for their Europe and US operations
Israel has a multi-layered air defence system that has intercepted thousands of rockets since it first went into operation in 2011
Police said there was no evidence to suggest Joel Cauchi was 'driven by any particular motivation, ideology or otherwise'