Thousands of homes in Plan areas of the Philippines have been severely damaged by floods and mudslides after heavy rainfall across the country.

The entire province of Albay in Bicol as well as Eastern Samar has been placed under a state of emergency with 19 areas needing urgent assistance.

More than 530,000 people have been affected with their properties and crops destroyed by the fast-flowing waters, 26 people are dead, four are injured and ten are missing.

The floods started mid-week with the total cost of damage estimated at US$22.5m on Saturday (23 February). Electricity supply has also been severely affected.

Plan areas

Four of the five Plan-covered municipalities in Eastern Samar were hardest-hit - Oras, Balangkayan, Llorente and Hernani - with 19 communities needing emergency access to food, clean water and medicine.

East Samar Program Unit has allocated US$36,200 for relief operations, which includes buying essential goods such as rice, sardines, medicines and drinking water.

Plan staff have been working with the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils (MDCC) in assessing the damage and planning appropriate action.

The government has already airlifted sacks of rice, canned goods and clothes to Samar, is providing medicines and vaccines for the worst-hit areas, and has begun a clean-up operation.