Third Typhoon in a Month Threatens To Cause More Flooding
and Landslides in the Philippines
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - As residents in the flood-weary Philippines continue to recover from two recent typhoons, another storm heads for the northern Luzon region. Typhoon Lupit is expected to make landfall as a category 1 or 2 storm on Thursday with wind speeds in excess of 110 mph.
“Thousands of people are still living in evacuation centers, mostly schools, or living on the second floor of their homes as the first floor is still under water,” says Cristina Hammond, American Red Cross disaster specialist in the Philippines.
The Philippines Red Cross staff and volunteers who have been preparing for and responding to typhoons for four weeks are pre-positioning more relief supplies and putting specially trained search and rescue teams with rubber boats on standby prior to the typhoon’s landfall.
The Red Cross operations center in Manila is working hand-in-hand with weather forecasters and running around the clock to plan before the storm.
“Operations center staff are discussing how best to prepare and how to send reinforcements to help local staff and volunteers who are exhausted and that might also be affected by the storm,” adds Hammond.
After a series of catastrophic disasters struck the region last week, the American Red Cross responded to a call for international assistance from four Southeast Asian countries. Members of our staff are on the ground establishing relief operations in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. In addition, below is a summary of our material and financial support thus far.
Supplies Shipped
To aid relief efforts in the Philippines and Indonesia, we’ve tapped our pre-positioned stocks, valued at $180,000 from our Kuala Lumpur warehouse.
20,000 insecticide-treated bed nets
10,000 jerry cans
25,000 blankets
Financial Assistance Pledged
Philippines & Vietnam: $450,000
Indonesia: $400,000
Samoa: $100,000
As the responses transition to recovery, we stand ready to provide additional aid through the global Red Cross network. You can help too.
Our support (deploying skilled people, mobilizing relief supplies or providing financial assistance) to these crises comes from the International Response Fund.
You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year, crises like the recent earthquakes in Indonesia and the flooding and typhoons in the Philippines and Vietnam, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-RED-CROSS or mailing your donation, with the designation, to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.org.
Just days after a massive typhoon flooded Manila, another brought extreme winds to a rural fishing village in the north over the weekend, affecting at least 152,000 people
According to government officials (as of Oct. 6), 17 people have died
Philippine National Red Cross volunteers are providing shelter for 50,100 people in 232 evacuation centers
At least 10,000 people are believed to have been affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that rolled upon shore in Samoa last week
According to government officials (as of Oct. 6):
137 people have died
8 people are missing
310 people are injured
380,000 houses are damaged or destroyed
2,000 people are displaced
More than 200 Samoa Red Cross volunteers are distributing:
water
clothing
tarps
blankets
water containers
bags of rice and boxes of noodles
lanterns
cooking sets
building supplies
Others are helping to reconnect separated families and promote disease prevention
To date, the Samoa Red Cross Society has assisted more than 3,500 people with tracing services
The Red Cross is actively sharing information about hand washing, food handling and boiling water to ward off diseases and infections that are common after disasters
The American Red Cross has contributed an initial $100,000 to support the international response
Tonga
At least 800 people are believed to have been affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck this Pacific island nation
According to government officials (as of Oct. 5):
9 people have died
78 houses are destroyed
56 houses are partially damaged
Tonga Red Cross Society employees have distributed blankets, cooking sets, lanterns, plastic buckets, tarps and water containers to those in need
Additionally, volunteers are providing emotional support to the traumatized survivors
More than 3.9 million people, or about 512,000 families, are believed to have been affected when Typhoon Ketsana made landfall more than a week ago
According to government officials (as of Oct. 6):
277 people have died
45 people are missing
2,500 houses are destroyed, 4,600 severely damaged and 2,000 partially damaged
Philippine National Red Cross volunteers continue to distribute relief supplies for an initial 13,000 families. They are also providing:
water and sanitation services
health care
shelter (318,000 people in 505 evacuation centers)
The American Red Cross has contributed an initial $100,000 worth of relief supplies (jerry cans, insecticide-treated bed nets and blankets) from its warehouse in Kuala Lumpur and deployed an additional $400,000 and a shelter specialist from the United States to help
Vietnam
An estimated 3 million people are believed to have been affected by heavy rainfall and flooding caused by Typhoon Ketsana
According to government officials (as of Oct. 6):
170 people have died
252 people are injured
13 people are missing
180,000 houses are damaged or destroyed
The Vietnam Red Cross volunteers helped to evacuate 160,000 people from low-lying areas and have since been providing lifesaving support
The American Red Cross has contributed an initial $50,000 to support these local relief efforts
Cambodia
At least 1,000 were evacuated when Typhoon Ketsana brought heavy rain and wind
According to government officials (as of Oct. 5):
12 people have died
38 people are injured
The Cambodian Red Cross has distributed food and shelter materials to approximately 960 families
Laos
Approximately 250,000 are believed to be affected by Typhoon Ketsana
According to government officials (as of Oct. 5):
16 people have died
120 people are injured
143 people are missing
37,500 have been displaced
At least 120 Lao Red Cross volunteers and 25 employees were mobilized to help evacuate flood victims and have since been assisting 3,500 people recover from this storm
Court Ogilvie from American Red Cross Disaster Services shares the features of our new JumpStart to Recovery kits.
The kits are backpacks containing items most needed by people right after they experience a disaster. The items provide comfort, wellness assistance and information to users as well as enable communication. One such item – a hand crank flashlight / radio / cell phone charger – is featured in the set.
I am constantly amazed and grateful that people who are personally affected by disaster set aside their own difficulties and find away to help others.
From American Samoa, where a devastating and deadly tsunami struck Sept. 29, Bob Howard reports:
An extended family from the west side of the island that hasn’t been able to go home is staying in part of our shelter. Last night, they prepared a Samoan meal for all of us in the shelter: garlic chicken, coconut rice and sausage and gravy.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters, but its volunteers often find themselves the recipients of similar care from the people they are there to help—as happened Sunday in American Samoa.
The Red Cross volunteers—now numbering 70 in an open-air shelter—were most struck by the gracious customs of the American Samoans, Howard reports:
“The elder in the group and his wife sit down first, and their sons stand up and serve all the guests before they eat,” he said. “That part of the shelter is their home, and the Red Cross workers were their guests….
“It was marvelous,” Howard said. “We’re five miles from anything. It was totally unexpected and greatly appreciated.”
Posted by amrecro 
Posted by amrecro 
Posted by amrecro 
