ReliefWeb

CHF 475,495 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in deploying rapid assessment teams and delivering immediate assistance to 5,000 families (25,000 people). Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

Summary: Typhoon Haiyan is currently making landfall in the Philippines as a category 5 typhoon on Friday, 8 November 2013. The projected path of Haiyan is taking over the areas hardest hit by a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake which struck in Central Visayas on 15 October 2013. Its effects are therefore likely to be felt by thousands of people who are living in makeshift shelters following the earthquake. Known locally as Yolanda, Haiyan is expected to track across Samar and Leyte provinces in Eastern Visayas region, packing maximum sustained winds of 240 kph (150 mph). It is expected to bring widespread torrential rain and damaging winds, and trigger life-threatening flash floods, as well as mudslides on higher terrain.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has been on highest alert since the typhoon was sighted. The PRC is maintaining close coordination with disaster authorities and participated in a meeting called by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday 6 November 2013, to discuss preparations for expected interventions. PRC has also alerted all its chapters in Visayas (Central, Eastern and Western Visayas) Bicol, Mimaropa and Caraga regions as well as in southern Luzon for immediate response if required. Red Cross disaster response teams, including water and search and rescue responders, are on standby, ready for rapid deployment. Disaster preparedness stocks have been mobilized and are being positioned in a regional warehouse in Cebu. Volunteers have been activated to support pre-emptive evacuations that are likely to be undertaken by the authorities while additional staff and volunteers remain on high alert in Manila and in the region.

While the overall impact of the typhoon will be known in its aftermath and the needs it brings will be determined upon completion of rapid needs assessment, based on forecasts, it is likely that the humanitarian impact of the typhoon will be colossal. There is no doubt that the authorities, the Red Cross and other humanitarian actors will have to mount immediate interventions to meet urgent humanitarian needs. However, since the PRC has in the past weeks been responding to multiple disasters – the latest being the earthquake that struck Central Visayas – the level of its disaster preparedness stocks has reduced significantly as the replenishment process is yet to be concluded. As such, it has requested IFRC to advance funding support to make an urgent procurement of supplies. The funds will also support deployment of rapid assessment teams to quickly determine needs of the affected population, which is crucial in informing the development of a detailed action plan.

This operation is expected to be implemented over three months, and will therefore be completed by 7 February 2014; a final report will be made available three months after the end of the operation.