Six tropical typhoons have hit the Philippines in a month in an unprecedented pattern of extreme weather, not seen since records in the Pacific basin began in 1951.
While the overall impact caused by the latest Super Typhoon Man-Yi (local name Pepito) is still being assessed, the previous five typhoons – Trami (Kristine), Kong-Rey (Leon), Yin-Xing (Marce), Toraji (Nika) and Usagi (Ofel) – have already caused extensive destruction across the region, bringing torrential rains, landslides, widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, stretching local resources to their maximum. Over 1.4 million displaced people have faced limited access to water, sanitation, nutrition, and health care.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is urgently appealing for more aid, increasing its initial Emergency Appeal for 7.5 million Swiss Francs, launched for Typhoon Trami, to 9 million Swiss Francs with the aim of enabling the Philippine Red Cross to widen its scope of assistance to over 86,000 people in the 12 most impacted provinces by all six typhoons.
Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), said: “While providing lifesaving support, we have initiated early actions to help at-risk communities to reduce damage. But no one can be well prepared for such an unprecedented number of storms in this short time. We need help to reduce the humanitarian impacts of these typhoons.”
She also pointed out that the PRC has been responding to disasters from the beginning, alongside local authorities, to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities.
Gopal Mukherjee, Programme Coordinator and IFRC Acting Head of Delegation for the Philippines highlighted the urgent need for more aid as local resources are stretched thin, including that of the Philippine Red Cross:
“Already the recovery of impacted communities is interrupted by these typhoons and their compounding effects. The humanitarian situation is worsening as Super Typhoon Man-Yi is making its impact,” he added.
