Tuesday 12 November 2013
Further to its media release of 11 November 2013, the Disasters Emergency Committee (the DEC) has advised the Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission (the Commission) that it is launching a national appeal in response to the devastation which Typhoon Haiyan has caused across the Philippines.
In is assessment of the impact of the typhoon the DEC has noted:
"The typhoon was predicted but despite the action of the Philippines National to putting out timely warnings and evacuating some 748,572 people, the devastating winds caused enormous damage, killing an estimated 10,000 people.
Eye witnesses state that the devastation in Tacloban city on the coast can be likened to a tsunami, bringing to mind the 2004 Boxing Day event and Japan 2011. The damage has put airports out of action; brought down power and communication lines; roads have been rendered impassable due to debris - all of this is currently hampering the assessment and relief efforts.
As a clearer picture emerges indications are that the humanitarian impact of Typhoon Haiyan is massive. Besides the Tacloban City, significant casualties can be expected in areas where the eye of the storm passed, including Guiuan in Eastern Samar - a narrow peninsula where the typhoon first made landfall - and Bantayan Island in the northern tip of Cebu."
Deputy Mike O'Hara, Commission Chairman, said:
"In agreeing to make a donation of £50,000 to the DEC appeal, the Commissioners were very conscious that the impact of the typhoon is massive. We have all seen the pictures of the scale of the devastation the typhoon and resultant tidal surges have left in their wake. We can only start to imagine on the people of the Philippines - some many of who have lost family members and friends and their homes and possession.
Further, we are all conscious that in recent years, many of the nursing staff in our hospitals and care homes have been recruited from the Philippines and some have settled in Guernsey. These people have cared for us and our loved ones and it is now our turn, in a small way through this donation, to care for the people of the Philippines.
I am sure Islanders will support the Commission's decision to make this donation to assist the agencies working under the DEC umbrella in its work to help the people of the Philippines in the aftermath of this terrible disaster."
-ENDS-
Further information
The Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission receives an annual budget of £200,000 from the States of Guernsey towards Disaster Emergency Relief.
The Commission's general policy in respect of Emergency Disaster Relief awards is to supporting appeals launched by the DEC following a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis.
So far this year, the Commission has made three donations, each of £25,000, to the Syrian Crisis - two to the DEC appeal and one to UNICEF.
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) - Assessment of the case for launching an appeal
1. Scale of the need
While the overall impact of the typhoon has only started to emerge as responders reach the hardest-hit areas, Red Cross volunteers on the ground indicate massive casualties in the city alone, although these are being verified.
Tacloban City has no food, water and no electricity.
According to the latest update released by the disaster risk reduction and response operations office a total of 944,586 families or 4,283,290 people have been affected across 39 provinces, with 71,623 families or 330,914 people sheltered in 1,223 evacuation centres that are operational. The homes of hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been destroyed or severely damaged but a full assessment of the damage has yet to be completed.
2. DEC Members ability to respond
Twelve DEC member agencies are responding to the affects of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines either directly or through established partners. Some have been working in the country for many decades whilst one set up after the typhoon that struck the country in 2009. Most have launched their own appeal with the remainder planning fundraising. ActionAid has no established presence in Philippines and is not looking to set up but is preparing to respond in Vietnam if Typhoon Haiyan causes substantial damage there.
The British Red Cross have a four person logistics team deploying tomorrow with kit as part of a range of Red Cross emergency response units. These will include health; water and sanitation items; IT and telecommunications. Red Cross national societies are providing the shelter cluster coordinator.
3. Will the public support us?
This is a record breaking natural event with a very dramatic visual impact and devastating human consequences. The images in the worst affected areas are extremely shocking.
This was the top story for UK media on Saturday and remains so for the majority of media on Sunday. There is a significant commitment to continued coverage from the major UK broadcasters in the short term. There are still in many outlying areas which government responders, aid workers and the media have yet to reach which are also expected to be very badly affected, providing opportunities for follow up stories in the coming days. It is not clear how long media coverage will be sustained however so it is important that if we appeal we do so as quickly as possible.
We are also seeing strong interest and engagement in the stories we are posting on social media, comments are overwhelming sympathetic and supportive but with an increasing number of queries about when our appeal will launch. Ten DEC member agencies have already launched appeals specifically for this event; with many reporting a very strong public response in the short time the appeals have been open.
A description of how the money will be spent by the participating DEC member agencies and the impact that money donated will make
Funds will be used in the relief stage to provide life saving support in the form of shelter, food, clean water and sanitation solutions. Emergency kits for hygiene and dignity will be distributed along with household items so people can cook and have essential bedding. Those agencies with the specialist capacity will provide or support first aid and heath care.
The Philippines has an emerging economy but there remain a large number of poor people. It is the flimsy homes that will have been destroyed. Where total loss is concerned livelihoods are also often destroyed. In the medium term agencies will help people restore their livelihoods and help them rebuild their lives.
An indication of how the agencies intend to overcome any specific difficulties associated with the emergency e.g. access, political instability etc.
As most DEC member agencies have existing programmes in Philippines they will be not hampered by administrative or bureaucratic delays. Also, the country has openly asked for the support of Governments.
Currently the main difficulty will be in logistics with so much of the infrastructure destroyed and airports are out of commission reaching people who are affected will be the greatest challenge. In places roads are impassable, choked with debris. These however will slowly be cleared and access will improve. Red Cross has a network of volunteers who are already on the ground and along with other agencies the prepositioning of aid items will enable an early response.
See www.dec.org.uk for further information.
