CARE Plans to Help 150,000 Survivors of Typhoon Haiyan

Residents rush to safety past a fallen tree during strong winds brought by Typhoon Haiyan that hit Cebu city, central Philippines November 8, 2013. Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon in the world this year and possibly the most powerful ever to hit land battered the central Philippines on Friday, forcing millions of people to flee to safer ground, cutting power lines and blowing apart houses. REUTERS/Zander Casas

MANILA (Nov. 10)—As the extent of the damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan begins to emerge, CARE is working to deliver emergency aid to families impacted by one of the worst storms ever recorded.

An estimated 4.3 million people have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan, with hundreds already confirmed dead. CARE teams have arrived in the Philippines to assist with what is likely to be one of the biggest international emergency relief efforts in years.

CARE Philippines’ Disaster Reduction Adviser, Celso Dulce, said the extent of Typhoon Haiyan was beginning to emerge, with Southern Leyte Province and Samar having felt its full force.

“Our teams are reporting scenes of complete devastation, with entire communities flattened, and countless families having lost everything – loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods,” he said. “Many parts of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar and Eastern Samar remain cut off, and without food, water or shelter. The need for immediate emergency supplies is critical.”

CARE’s preliminary planned response aims to help 30,000 families with emergency assistance over the coming months and to help them recover in the longer term. Dulce said support from the international community would be critical, and urged people to support CARE’s Typhoon Haiyan Appeal, which would provide shelter and relief and help families begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

“Our current focus is on providing the immediate essentials – shelter, water and food – to communities hit hardest by this disaster. International support will be essential to preventing further loss of life and helping families begin to rebuild their lives over the coming weeks and months.”

Vietnam
Typhoon Haiyan is now bringing high winds and rains to parts of Vietnam, and is now expected make landfall early Monday morning, Vietnam time. CARE Vietnam Country Director Claudia Futterknecht said preparations for the storm’s arrival had been outstanding.

“The response and preparations in Vietnam have been excellent. Over 500,000 people have been evacuated throughout central Vietnam. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Vietnam and partners to assess the impact of Typhoon Haiyan and provide emergency relief support as necessary.”