Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines - Emergency Assistance - ICRC 2014

February 2014 - On November 8 2013 Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines a densely populated country of 92 million people. The category five typhoon killed over 6 000 Filipinos caused 4 million people to be displaced from their homes and caused severe damage to infrastructure including homes roads schools and health centres. Although many people have already received life-saving humanitarian assistance significant humanitarian needs remain including early recovery activities that contribute to building communities that are more resilient. With DFATD’s support the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) is helping up to 250 000 people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in Samar province. The ICRC is providing safe drinking water improving sanitation or the proper treatment and disposal of waste water rehabilitating shelters and restoring people’s livelihoods to make sure they can meet their basic needs. Project activities include: (1) providing essential household items such as clothing and soap and unconditional cash grants; (2) providing materials and cash assistance to help people repair and rebuild their shelters and settle in new areas ; (3) providing safe water and proper sanitation and hand washing facilities; (4) promoting the importance of proper hygiene to prevent disease outbreaks; (5) providing cash-for-work activities to clear debris; (6) providing material and technical support to fishers and farmers needing a boost to return to their livelihoods; (7) providing basic health services by setting up an emergency hospital and mobile clinics and by supporting rural health clinics; (8) assisting people to reunite with relatives affected by the typhoon; (9) providing forensic technical guidance on the management of human remains; and (10) providing assistance such as health services for detainees in prison facilities affected by the typhoon.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to essential household items; (2) increased access to safe adequate and durable shelters; (3) increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities; (4) improved hygiene practices; (5) increased access to livelihoods to allow people to meet their basic needs; (6) increased access to basic health care; (7) increased access to family reunification services; (8) improved government capacity to address human remains; and (9) improved living conditions of detainees in prisons affected by the typhoon. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.