Islander's Appeal For Help For Typhoon-Hit Siargao

Thursday, 23 December 2021 12:14

A man from Jersey is appealing for help after his new home island of Siargao in the Philippines was devastated by a typhoon.

At least 375 people are known to have died when winds of up to 160 miles an hour hit the region earlier this month.

Jersey-born Max Nicolas moved to the idyllic and remote island of Siargao in 2018 and decided to stay throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The deadly typhoon ripped across much of the Philippines on 16 December, leaving a trial of destruction.

Max says people are without food, water and shelter and 80 to 90% of structures have been flattened, including his own home.

"My island home of Siargao was hit by typhoon Odette on the 16th of December 2021 producing 269kmh winds. It then proceeded to rip through half of the Philippines destroying everything in its path.

The damage is devastating and the situation is critical, people are running out of basic necessities, food, water and have no shelter."

He is helping to coordinate efforts to bring aid to the island and begin rebuilding.

"We are rallying to get supplies from areas that where not hit by the typhoon and take them to the island.

I will be on the ground getting supplies and helping to build shelters, also coordinating with non government organisations bringing aid."

Please help us bring food, water and shelter to the people of siargao. Any donation big or small will be a tremendous help for us to minimise the casualties post typhoon."

Max has been describing the scene to Channel 103:

"...there are thousands of people at the ports waiting for tickets for the boat, sleeping on the concrete road for days because there's nowhere else to go...Trucks backed up for miles."

Max has set up a Go Fund Me page aiming to collect £10,000 to buy essentials including tents and solar lamps.