Radio and TV stations in Tacloban City, Philippines were destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), and at least four media workers were dead as of 14 November, while some are missing and others without shelter and supplies.
UPDATE from CMFR: CMFR database on media affected by Typhoon Yolanda (6 December 2013)
The following is a 14 November 2013 CMFR statement:
Radio and TV stations in Tacloban City were destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), and at least four media workers are dead, while some are missing and others without shelter and supplies. Media workers in Ormoc and Catarman City report that they will deliver food and water to their colleagues in Tacloban. CMFR has so far not been able to contact other journalists based in the affected areas.
Typhoon Yolanda (International name: Haiyan) entered the Philippine area of responsibility on 7 November and first made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar on 8 November.According to news reports, it generated 380 kph wind gusts. The National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 1,732,477 families in nine regions were affected. Tacloban City, Leyte, Samar, Iloilo were among the hardest hit areas. As of 14 November, NDRRMC reported 2,357 individuals died; 3,853 injured; and 77 are still missing.
Rescue and relief operations are ongoing.
Tacloban is about 1000 kilometers south of Manila. Catarman is some 300 kilometers north of Tacloban while Ormoc is some 100 kilometers south-west.
Jimmy Angay-Angay of dyVL in Tacloban first reported over dzRH in Manila on November 11 that two of his colleagues, radio anchor Ronald Biñas and technician Allan Medino, died in the storm surge during the typhoon. He added that dyVL station manager Babes Custodio was also swept away by the storm surge, but survived.
Another dyVL reporter, Will Amazano, also broke the news of his colleagues’ death on Facebook on 10 November.
DyVL and dzRH are part of the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC).
On 13 November Rommel Rutor of dyMS in Catbalogan (some 100 kilometers north of Tacloban) confirmed to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) via chairperson Rowena Paraan that two more media workers, Archie Globio and Malou Realino of dyBR Tacloban, also died during the typhoon. Three more broadcasters from dyBR are missing: Babay Jaca, Lulu Palencia and Jun Estoya.
Power FM 90.3 station manager Huge Hugo in Ormoc told CMFR on 12 November that their station is non-functional while their sister station in Tacloban, dyDW Radyo Diwa, has been destroyed. The next day, he told CMFR that a plan to send provisions from Ormoc to their colleagues in Tacloban had been delayed due to the threat of looting.
Hugo said one Radyo Diwa technician is missing but could not provide details because he had lost contact with Radyo Diwa station manager Godofredo Balbuena.
In Catarman, Karen Gajutos of NSTV8 said that ten colleagues working for NSTV8’s sister station, CAT8 TV Tacloban, were in need of food and water. She told CMFR that NUJP chapter president Eladio Perfecto was organizing the delivery of supplies to the CAT8 TV workers.
CMFR is still trying to contact other journalists in Tacloban and other affected areas.
Click here for CMFR’s Database on Media Affected by Typhoon Yolanda.
