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A family carries jerry cans and hygiene kits at the village of Malai Tuo, Batang Gasan subdistrict, Indonesia © CARE/Edy Purnomo
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As of October 7th, 2009
CARE is appealing for US$15 million to help the millions of people in desperate need of assistance after a series of deadly natural disasters in Southeast Asia last week. On Sept 27, Typhoon Ketsana began a path of destruction across the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and Typhoon Parma less than a week later caused further misery. On Sept. 30, an earthquake that measured 7.9 on the Richter scale devastated the area of Padang in Western Sumatra. CARE, with more than 600 staff in the affected countries, immediately deployed emergency teams and began distributing water, food, emergency supplies and temporary shelter. CARE has immediately made US$360,000 available for the initial response, but funds are desperately needed in order to scale up relief efforts to help the millions in need.
Earthquake in Padang, Indonesia
More than 700 people are confirmed dead after the Sept. 30 devastating earthquake in Padang, and the death toll is estimated to reach more than 3,000. Entire villages were wiped out in landslides, and tens of thousands of people are homeless, sleeping in the streets for fear of another earthquake. Heavy rains, repeated aftershocks and roads made impassible by debris are slowing aid efforts. CARE emergency teams were on the ground immediately after the disaster, and are distributing aid into hard-hit areas reachable only by motorbike or on foot.
CARE staff in country: 225
Emergency team members: 20, additional staff en route
Population affected: 180,000 houses damaged.
CARE’s response: CARE is immediately providing 5,000 people with emergency kits (consisting of hygiene items, blankets, sarongs, jerry can for storing water and water purification solution) and tarps and rope for building temporary shelter, building emergency latrines, and will help communities recover after the quake. Plans are to help 40,000 people.
Appeal target: US$5 million
Typhoon Ketsana
Typhoon Ketsana slammed into the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with winds up to 140 km/hr, washing away villages, destroying crops, and leaving more than three million people in need of assistance. Typhoon Parma, a Category 5 ‘super-typhoon’ hit the area less than a week later, bringing more heavy rain and devastation. Below is an overview of CARE’s emergency responses in the region.
Philippines
The government declared a state of national calamity after Typhoons Ketsana and Parma slammed into the Philippines, killing 288 people and leaving 4.2 million people homeless or in need of immediate aid. CARE is working closely with partner organizations to respond to the emergency, and immediately began distributing food, water and emergency supplies to 30,000 people.
CARE staff in country: 30
Emergency team members: 15 staff, 30 volunteers
Population affected: 4.2 million people
CARE’s response: CARE is distributing food, safe water, temporary shelter and emergency supplies to 30,000 people. Plans are to help 90,000 people in total.
Appeal target: US$5 million
Vietnam
More than 160 people have died and thousands are homeless after Typhoon Ketsana slammed into central Vietnam on Sept. 29. Nearly 300,000 houses were damaged or destroyed, schools, health clinics and houses were damaged, and crops were washed away. Villages in mountainous regions are completely cut off after deadly landslides and damaged roads. CARE is concentrating on Quang Nam province, where the typhoon hit hardest.
CARE staff in country: 133
Emergency team members: 25, more being recruited
Population affected: 300,000 houses damaged or destroyed
Appeal target: US$2 million
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Families receive bottles of water in the Philipines © CARE / Jes Aznar
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Laos
CARE is leading the emergency response in Sekong province, one of the worst-affected regions after the typhoon. CARE emergency teams report that in some villages, only one or two houses were left standing. There is a growing risk of malaria, as families and small children are sleeping out in the open with no mosquito nets, and standing water becomes a deadly breeding ground for malaria. The threat of waterborne diseases is on the rise, as communities have no access to clean water.
CARE staff in country: 100
Emergency team members: 23
Population affected: Tens of thousands of people lost their homes, livestock, or crops.
CARE’s response: CARE is providing 2,300 people with food, emergency kits that include tarpaulin for temporary shelter, soap, cooking pot, kettle, glasses, kitchen utensils, water storage containers, and buckets. CARE is also providing basic medical supplies to the local health department to treat people injured in the typhoon. Plans are reach 25,000 people in total.
Appeal target: US$2 million
Cambodia
With ongoing programs in the affected area, CARE was one of the first agencies to respond in the badly affected area of Ratanakiri Province. Infrastructure is very limited and some roads are impassable. Urgent needs are food, clean water and water purification tablets, clothing, tents or temporary shelter, and fuel.
CARE staff in country: 166
Emergency team members: 55 staff already in the area
Population affected: 80,000 people
CARE’s response: CARE immediately provided food and fuel to 4,200 people and is scaling up its response, particularly helping farmers who have lost their crops in the disaster.
Appeal target: US$1 million
Read CARE staff's blog about typhoons Ketsana and Parma:
Read CARE's staff blog about the earthquake in Indonesia:
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