News Room /
Islamic Relief set to respond to Philippines ‘super typhoon’
08 November 2013
Typhoon Haiyan is the largest on record
Islamic Relief is closely monitoring the situation through agencies already present in the area, and has placed disaster response teams on standby.
As a ‘super typhoon’ batters communities in the Philippines, Islamic Relief is geared up to deliver essential emergency aid as required.
Three people are already known to have lost their lives to Typhoon Haiyan, which is said to be the strongest storm to hit land in recorded history. Reaching speeds at landfall topping 195 mph and gusts of up to 235 mph, the super-storm hit the Eastern Samar province early today (Friday, 8 November) and is now blowing toward Boracay Island.
Around 12 million people are at risk from the storm, known in the Philippines as ‘Yolanda’ and classed as a powerful category five storm – capable of whipping up five meter high waves.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the typhoon’s path have been evacuated, and entire provinces left without electricity or communications. The tropical storm has destroyed buildings, and caused landslides and flooding.
The government of the Philippines is prepared with family food packs, and has already mobilised emergency response teams. Islamic Relief is closely monitoring the situation through agencies already present in the area, and has placed disaster response teams on standby.
