Typhoon Mangkhut: HI emergency specialists arrive in affected areas
HI emergency workers have arrived in the northern Philippines to identify the needs of the victims of typhoon Mangkhut - the most violent typhoon this year - and prepare our emergency response
Consequences of typhon Mangkhut in Visayas | © Randy Bandiola / HI
Some 50 people lost their lives and 4 million others were affected by typhoon Mangkhut (Ompong in Filipino) which hit the Philippines on the night of 14-15 September.
Rescue workers arrive
Rescue workers have arrived in the north of the country, but roads blocked by landslides and floods have complicated their search for victims.
Many lightly built homes lost their roofs, and more than 100,000 people have been displaced to evacuation centres.
Distribution de kits
According to Reiza Dejito, director of HI in the Philippines:
“Typhoon Mangkhut caused major floods and landslides. Local people are also very concerned about their rice and maize crops - their main sources of income - which have been badly damaged.”
"HI emergency workers arrived in the north of the country on Tuesday to assess the needs of victims, particularly in terms of protection (shelter, etc.). We will then launch an emergency response in conjunction with our local partners. We also plan to distribute non-food kits to at least 2,000 households," added Reiza Dejito.
Present in the Philippines for more than 30 years, HI regularly works with people affected by natural disasters, including by improving the disaster preparedness and resilience of communities. For example, the organisation launched a large-scale response in the wake of typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, which affected more than 14 million people and claimed more than 6,000 lives.
