Fears that casualties will rise as information comes in from remote areas
Manila (November 9, 2013) – CARE has launched an emergency appeal for USD5 million to help some of the millions of people affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. CARE and its partners are responding to the disaster, and are mobilizing supplies to provide shelter, food and water to survivors.
“We need to get lifesaving assistance to people now, but we also need to think of their future,” said Celso Dulce, CARE Philippines’ disaster risk reduction advisor in Manila. “Houses, crops and businesses have been destroyed, schools and roads have been damaged. Our response will also help people recover for the long term and help replace what they’ve lost. Some of these areas hit by the Super Typhoon were previously hit by landslides or earthquakes in the past few years, so they’re especially vulnerable. They need help, now.”
More than 831,000 people have been evacuated because of the typhoon and nearly 10 million people have been affected, with heavy rains, storm surges and winds of up to 275 kilometres per hour battering central Philippines since Friday. More than 100 people are reported to have died, with the number of dead and injured expected to rise as more information comes in. Fears are rising for families in the remote areas along the Pacific coast, which were directly in Haiyan’s path.
“We still haven’t heard from the communities on the Pacific coast. The only way to reach these areas is by mobile phone, but the lines are still down. The roads are also lost in many areas,” said Dulce. “These are difficult to reach, remote communities. In that sense, their preparedness and ability to respond to storms like this is also quite low. We’re hoping for the best, but we expect that the number of casualties and injured will rise in the coming days.” CARE emergency teams are travelling to affected areas such as Bohol Province and Guiuan in Eastern Samar Province, where Haiyan first made landfall. “The roads in many of these areas are damaged and airports are still closed, so our staff are using boats and motorcycles,” said Dulce.
CARE emergency teams are also on standby in Vietnam, where Typhoon Haiyan is predicted to hit early Sunday morning. If the storm stays on track, it is forecasted to also hit central and northern Vietnam, in the same areas that were affected by recent storms, potentially causing further damage to already weakened livelihoods and infrastructure. CARE teams in Vietnam are working closely with the Government of Vietnam, which has a range of systems in place to warn, evacuate and respond to emergencies.
CARE has worked in the Philippines since 1949, providing emergency relief when disaster strikes and helping communities prepare for disasters. CARE's past responses in the Philippines have included Typhoon Bopha in 2012 and Typhoon Ketsana in 2009. CARE has been working in Vietnam since 1989 delivering long-term development programs to vulnerable and poor communities in the country in close coordination with the government.
About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE's emergency response teams specialise in providing life-saving food, water, shelter and health care. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE, which works in 84 countries around the world, places a special focus on women, children and other vulnerable populations, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. In 2012, our emergency response and recovery projects reached nearly 14 million people in 40 countries. To learn more, visit www.care-international.org
Media contacts: Melanie Brooks (Geneva): +41 79 590 3047 [email protected]
Click here to read more about our work in the Philippines.