The Irish Red Cross has released an initial €100,000 to support the international Red Cross response in the Philippines.  This comes as official figures are released from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of 1,744 lives lost, 2,487 injured, 600,000 displaced, close to 14,000 homes destroyed and nearly 9,800 damaged.

Anna Marie O’Carroll, Irish Red Cross Asia spokesperson, says, “While some of these numbers may seem comparatively low, the expectation is that they will rise significantly in the coming days as assessments are complete.”

Irish Red Cross funds will be used to aid the ongoing search and rescue efforts, the distribution of food and water and tarpaulins for emergency shelter.   “The Red Cross is airlifting relief materials including, 10,000 tarpaulins, 4700 hygiene kits and waterbladders to Cebu for immediate distribution to the most-affected areas”, said Carroll.

Health needs for survivors remain a priority following the destruction of the many of the country’s health centres and infrastructure. Hospitals are affected by power outages.  Within evacuation centres, Red Cross teams are providing medical care and emergency first aid.

“The need in the Philippines is massive and is expected to worsen as more areas are accessed.  We continue to appeal for donations to the Irish Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan Appeal”, said Carroll.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Irish Red Cross ‘Typhoon Haiyan’ appeal can do so online at www.redcross.ie; by phone: 1850 50 70 70; or by cheque made out to ‘Irish Red Cross’ and marked ‘Typhoon Haiyan’ and sent to Irish Red Cross, 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

• 10 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan across 40 provinces.
• The Philippine Red Cross network of 400 staff members and over 2,000 volunteers based in 39 locations around the country are conducting localised assessments as well as emergency response operations.
• Logistical challenges are huge. The environment is very difficult. Tacloban is a mountainous region
•  An 11km round trip, from the airport to Tacloban city, currently takes 6 hours.

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Note to Editor:

• For more information and to arrange interviews with a Red Cross Spokesperson please contact:  Rebecca Dunne, Irish Red Cross Communications Executive – 087 743 3275 / rdunne@redcross.ie

• Figures from National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council correct as of 11^th November 2013