Surigao City reels from Typhoon Odette; Greenpeace renews call for climate emergency declaration

Typhoon Odette aftermath in Surigao City [Photos by Erwin Mascarinas | Greenpeace]

Residents of Surigao City on Saturday (Dec. 18) are still reeling from the destruction in their communities following Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai).

The city was one of the first and worst hit by the typhoon, which made its landfall in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte on Thursday, Dec. 16.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace stands with victims, their families, and the Filipinos still trying to get in touch with their loved ones. As the organization calls for immediate relief and recovery efforts, Greenpeace is also renewing its call for the declaration of a national climate emergency.

“The disaster brought up our collective trauma from previous typhoons such as Sendong and Yolanda, and reminded us that these extreme weather events are now a norm as the climate crisis worsens every year,” Greenpeace Executive Director Yeb Saño said.

“These typhoons will get worse, more unpredictable, and more destructive should [our institutions] remain merely reactionary to the climate crisis,” he added.

Photo credit: Erwin Mascarinas | Greenpeace