American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom

Disaster Alert

Philippines – The American Red Cross is monitoring the situation in the Philippines with Typhoon Megi. The ARC is prepared to provide assistance to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) if needed. Megi packed sustained winds of 140 miles (225 kilometers) per hour and gusts of 162 mph (260 kph) as it made landfall midday Monday at Palanan Bay in Isabela province. (source: Washington Post)

Image from http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) operations centre is monitoring the situation, receiving latest updates from PAGASA as well as from its chapters in areas placed on alert. The national headquarters has spread information – complementing advisories issued by NDRRMC – on measures that communities should take before, during and after the storm.

The National Society has already deployed one unit of its water search and rescue (WASAR) team, with additional teams on standby for potential deployment. Emergency response units (ERUs) are also on standby for possible deployment. PRC has additional equipment for water search and rescue, water treatment plants, ambulances and vehicles that are on standby and ready for deployment to priority areas, should the need arise.

The PRC can also provide portalets to evacuation centres, and its community health volunteers are ready to conduct basic hygiene education to ensure proper maintenance of the facilities by families to be assisted.

Volunteers and staff are readying pre-positioned emergency supplies such as food, bedding and hygiene items to help meet communities’ needs. Pre-positioned emergency supplies are sufficient to serve 10,000 families as of now.

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