The Sailors’ Society has launched an emergency appeal to assist seafarers and their families affected by a devastating earthquake in the Philippines. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck Cebu on September 30, resulting in significant destruction to homes and businesses, alongside frequent power outages. Reports indicate that over 70 individuals lost their lives, with many still residing in temporary shelters due to ongoing aftershocks.
Since the initial tremor, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recorded more than 9,000 aftershocks, some reaching magnitudes of 5.1. In response, the Sailors’ Society is providing essential supplies such as food and clean water to those in need. CEO Sara Baade emphasized the urgent requests they receive daily from seafarers attempting to contact their families, many of whom are struggling to cope with the aftermath.
Gavin Lim, the charity’s Programme Manager, shared distressing accounts from seafarers, including one who lost both a brother and a nephew in the quake. Another seafarer reported that his wife and siblings, trapped at the quake’s epicenter, are enduring starvation amid harsh weather conditions. With over a quarter of the global maritime workforce being Filipino, many of the country’s 229,000 seafarers hail from the quake-affected region.
Baade noted that members of their Crisis Response Network are preparing to reach the hardest-hit areas as soon as conditions allow. While roads remain impassable and aftershocks persist, the organization is committed to aiding those in dire need. They are offering emergency grants, with as little as £30 providing a family with food and clean water for a week, as well as trauma and bereavement counseling for survivors and distant seafarers.
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