Emergency Response: Typhoon Mangkhut
“Thousands of evacuees are currently staying inside churches and schools. Survivors have told us that families in some evacuation centres can only drink from hand pumps which are a kilometre away. Some have brought bottled water but supply is limited.”
Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall in northern Philippines on Saturday, 15 September 2018, ripping through the region with devastating gusts of up to 250 km/h. Currently, many of the most affected areas are still unreachable, so it is difficult to assess the extent of the damage.
Oxfam assessment teams, together with the Citizens' Disaster Response Center (CDRC) and Cagayan Valley Disaster Response Center have identified an urgent need for clean water and shelter in the most affected areas. A truck carrying clean water and jerry cans is being sent to the region. We are also preparing to distribute materials for shelter, including tarpaulins and ropes.
Maria Rosario Felizco, Oxfam Philippines Country Director said “addressing immediate needs are crucial to ensure the immediate safety and dignity of survivors, so we are prioritizing the distribution of water and shelter materials. But we must also anticipate that the survivors of Typhoon Mangkut, especially small fishers and farmers who have lost their source of income, will need support far beyond the first few days of this response."
Philippine Agriculture Secretary said a total of 1.5M farmers and over 100K fisherfolk could be affected by the typhoon. Rice could suffer losses amounting to PhP 3.6 billion on a moderate estimate, or up to PhP 7.9 billion in a worst-case scenario. Corn crops could suffer PhP 2.7 billion in losses under moderate conditions, or up to PhP 3.1 billion.
Rains and landslides damaged critical infrastructure like roads and bridges, making assessment difficult in some areas. “There are significant logistics challenges to delivering immediate support when roads, powers lines, and cell sites are down”, said Abello-Bulanadi, Oxfam Philippines's field reporter.