Finnish Red Cross supports aid work in the Philippines – typhoons have forced people to flee their homes
The Finnish Red Cross is contributing €500,000 from its Disaster Relief Fund to the aid operation in the Philippines, where typhoons Kalmaegi and Fung-wong have caused widespread destruction in a short period of time.
Within ten days of each other in early November, Typhoon Kalmaegi (locally known as Tino) and Super Typhoon Fung-wong (locally known as Uwan) hit the Philippines, causing widespread destruction of homes. More than 340,000 people are still staying in evacuation centres in the aftermath of Kalmaegi alone.
Typhoon-induced storm winds, floods and landslides have destroyed not only homes but also roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Widespread power outages and disruptions in telecommunications are making life more difficult. The livelihoods of farmers, fishers and small businesses have been destroyed by floods and storm winds. The country’s authorities estimate that the typhoons have affected the lives of more than 6.5 million people.
The Finnish Red Cross is allocating €500,000 to the aid operation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the basic needs of people affected by the disaster. The operation supports the work of the Philippine Red Cross. Local Red Cross volunteers and staff are supporting the authorities in the affected areas by helping with rescue efforts, providing first aid and emotional support and distributing water, food and other aid supplies.
The Philippine Red Cross reinforced its preparedness as the storms were approaching, issuing advance warnings to communities whose neighbourhoods were expected to be hit by a cyclone.
“The Philippines has experienced major earthquakes in just over a month, and the most recent typhoon struck just a week after the last cyclone. The Philippine Red Cross has strong expertise in preparing for and responding to natural disasters, but with so many disasters now occurring one after the other at such a rapid pace and causing such widespread damage, the country needs international aid now and for a long time to come in order to rebuild,” says Marko Korhonen, Head of International Emergency Operations Unit at the Finnish Red Cross.
Earlier in October, the Finnish Red Cross allocated €400,000 from its Disaster Relief Fund to the International Red Cross aid operation to help people affected by natural disasters in the Philippines. The aid was directed to helping those affected by the earthquake at the end of September.
