AmeriCares Readies for Philippines Typhoon

Stamford, Conn. – Dec. 4, 2014 – AmeriCares emergency response experts in the Philippines and the U.S. are preparing to respond to Super Typhoon Hagupit as it barrels toward the disaster-prone nation. The storm – which has the potential to be a Category 5 storm when it makes landfall on Saturday local time in the Philippines – could bring flash floods, mudslides and wind speeds above 150 mph.

Residents with their belongings wait for a government vehicle to bring them to the evacuation center in Tacloban city, central Philippines. Photo by REUTERS/Stringer

By Thursday afternoon, coastal areas were under evacuation and forecasts showed the storm tracking toward the island of Samar where some communities are still recovering from last year’s Typhoon Haiyan – the deadliest storm in the country’s history. Forecasts indicate Typhoon Hagupit could veer north toward Manila. An AmeriCares response and recovery coordinator for the Philippines reports the Eastern Visayas city of Tacloban is on high alert.

“We have a team in country ready to respond and we are prepared to deploy additional relief workers as needed,” said AmeriCares Associate Director of Emergency Response Karl Erdmann. “With 4 million people in the storm’s path, we are preparing to ship emergency medicines and relief supplies. We are ready to help in any way we can.”

AmeriCares has been responding to emergencies in the Philippines since 1985, most recently working alongside the Philippines Department of Health and local partners to repair health centers damaged or destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan. In the one year since Haiyan, AmeriCares has delivered $21 million in aid to help restore health care services and strengthen the health care system to prepare for future emergencies. Reconstruction is completed or underway on 74 health care facilities, restoring access to care for close to 2 million patients. Some of the facilities have been supplied with generators that would allow them to continue operating and treating the injured during power outages caused by severe storms.

AmeriCares has been aiding survivors of natural disasters, disease outbreaks, political conflict and extreme poverty around the world for more than 30 years, saving lives and restoring health and hope. The organization’s relief workers are among the first to respond to emergencies and stay as long as needed. On average, AmeriCares responds to 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year. AmeriCares also establishes long-term recovery projects in communities affected by disaster and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities.