Karen Lema & Neil Jerome Morales

MANILA (Reuters – Residents of the areas affected by Typhoon Rai in Philippines pleaded for water and food Tuesday, as severed power lines and flooding hampered aid efforts.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Rai was the most powerful typhoon that hit the archipelago last week, killing almost 400 people. It also affected nearly 1.8million, and leaving 630,000 homeless.

Our food supplies are running out. Fely Pedrablanca, mayor of Tubajon, Dinagat Island, said that we might run out in just a few days.

This area faces the Pacific Ocean and was destroyed by the Typhoon. She said that only nine of the more than 2000 homes she knew were still standing.

The Coast Guard has sent vessels to assist in relief and trying to get to areas which are not yet accessible, including Dinagat.

Roger Mercado (acting chief of the public work agency), said that evacuation centers were also damaged in the Southern Leyte province. He appealed to the public for construction materials and tents.

According to DZMM Radio, damage to Southern Leyte’s infrastructure could exceed 3 billion pesos (60.14 millions), Mercado stated.

“The damage was very extensive comparable to Yolanda,” Mercado declared. This refers to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which claimed 6,300 lives in the Philippines.

At most 375 were killed, and 56 remain missing. On Tuesday, more than 500 people sustained injuries according to police.

According to Danilo Atienza of Southern Leyte, the disaster chief for Southern Leyte, “The government prepositioned non-food and food items, but it is not enough since many are in dire need.”

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the state agencies to restore power. He also promised 10 Billion Pesos (200 Million) in recovery funds.

Other countries have also begun to send aid to the United Nations, including Japan and China.

($1 = 49.8700 Philippine pesos)