Church turns into grave for Yolanda victims

EASTERN SAMAR, Philippines – Said to have been destroyed by a typhoon decades ago, a church in Hernani, Eastern Samar turns into a mass grave for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Paterno Esmaquel files this video blog. 

Residents say over a century ago, waves triggered by a typhoon destroyed this church in Hernani, Eastern Samar. Now this has become a mass grave for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

One of the residents says he has to bury his relatives here. He says one of his relatives is missing, but concedes he’s already dead.

GREGORIO COLLARGA, HERNANI RESIDENT: Si Silvano Collarga at saka ‘yung kanyang mga apo, si Hannah at saka si Siapon ‘yata ‘yon, hindi ko masyadong kilala… Hindi pa alam ng mga kapatid no’n, mga kamag-anak do’n, at mga kamag-anak do’n, at saka mga magulang ng mga bata, hindi pa alam sa Maynila na ganito ang nangyari. Walang komunikasyon… Talagang napakalungkot kasi ngayon lang ako nakaranas ng ganitong pangyayari.

(Silvano Collarga and his grandchildren, Hannah and Siapon. I’m not too sure about the name… His siblings and other relatives as well as the children’s parents, don’t know in Manila that this happened. We don’t have communication… It’s really depressing. It’s my first time to experience this.)

For residents, these ruins will always remind them of Super Typhoon Yolanda as long as they live.

Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler, Eastern Samar.

– video and editing by Franz Lopez/Rappler.com

Get the latest info on the status of areas (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-yolanda/43350-aftermath-yolanda-what-we-know) affected by typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan).

Help the victims of Yolanda. Visit Rappler’s list of ongoing relief operations (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/43300-reliefph-victims-typhoon-yolanda-help) in your area. Tell us about your relief and recovery initiatives, email move.ph@rappler.com or tweet us @moveph.

Visit rappler.com/typhoon-yolanda (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-yolanda) for the latest updates on Typhoon Yolanda.