A southern Philippino family who have lost their home seek shelter at a crowded evacuation centre. © REUTERS/Erik De CastroTropical Storm Washi hit Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines on 16 December. Washi had maximum winds of 65 kph and caused heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides. The deadly flash floods have so far claimed the lives of over 1,000 people. CARE, through our local partners, plans to start delivery of food and other essential items imminently.

The regions of Mindanao and Palawan are rarely hit by typhoons. People were therefore less prepared. This has magnified the disaster.

Over 43,000 people are currently in emergency evacuation centres with little access to water and are now reliant on food hand-outs. Other priorities are sleeping mats, blankets, clothing, and cooking and eating utensils.

Besides the loss of life and the destruction of thousands of homes, the typhoon has also had a disastrous impact on people’s livelihoods. Total cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure is initially estimated at PHP1 billion (over £11 million).

“People in the areas hit hardest by the storm were unprepared and this has magnified the scale of the disaster and the suffering of the communities,” said Celso Dulce, CARE’s representative in the Philippines. “People are in urgent need of shelter, food and water and CARE, through our local partners, will be addressing these critical needs in the coming days.”

Once the immediate disaster relief is complete, CARE will shift its focus to helping people rebuild their livelihoods and to be more prepared for any future disasters.

Help with disaster relief: Donate to our Rapid Response Fund.