Philippines: Typhoons
October 2009
Three devastating typhoons (Typhoon Ketsana, Typhoon Parma & Typhoon Lupit) have hit the Philippines in the past weeks. Typhoon Ketsana alone lead to over one month’s rainfall falling in just 24 hours, and caused widespread destruction and loss of life when it subsequently hit both Viet Nam and Cambodia. When Typhoon Parma then hit the northern Philippines just days later it triggered floods and landslides, as well as destroying nearly €12million in crops and infrastructure in the country.
As of 23rd October 2009, the national disaster coordinating council reports 929 people killed, 736 people injured and 84 people still missing. To date, government figures report 32,435 houses have been completely destroyed, and 177,882 significantly damaged, while over 9.1 million people (about 1.8 million families) across the country have been affected.
Thousands of Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) volunteers have been working round the clock since 26th September in search and rescue operations, delivering food and other relief items to survivors, providing psychosocial support to traumatised families and first aid to the sick and injured. The PNRC search and rescue teams have already rescued over 2,000 people from the two calamities. PNRC has also provided thousands of hot meals in evacuation centres and distributed over 40,000 food parcels, an activity that is ongoing. Non-food item parcels are being distributed at time of reporting. A total of 15 drinking water systems have been made operational and 45 portable toilets are in place since commencement of the relief activities.
The Irish Red Cross, along with our partners in the international Red Cross Movement, are providing assistance and support to the PNRC as their staff and volunteers continue to undertake the massive relief and clean-up effort. The Irish Red Cross would like to thank the Irish public for their generous response to our public appeal.
