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Philippines

HI teams prepare for Typhoon Mangkhut

Humanity & Inclusion's teams are preparing for the aftermath of Super Typhoon Mangkhut, which is set to make landfall in the Philippines on Friday, September 14. Thousands of people are likely to be affected by the storm.

Formed in the western Pacific, Super Typhoon Mangkhut has been rated category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds of up to 186 miles per hour. "Although natural disasters are a regular occurrence in the Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda is still fresh in people’s minds, and they’re afraid of this new super typhoon," Reiza Dejito, Director of HI in the Philippines says. "They’re preparing for it, including by stockpiling food. They fear another disaster."

Preparing to respond

HI’s teams have worked in the Philippines for more than 30 years and are preparing to respond to the needs of affected people in the event of an emergency.

"Following a typhoon, there is always a risk of floods and landslides," Reiza adds. "They can kill and injure lots of people, and cut them off from the rest of the world.

"Our emergency coordinator assesses the situation every six hours and informs the teams. In the event of a disaster or serious damage, HI could make assessments to identify the worst-hit areas and assist affected populations by distributing kits of essential items, such as blankets, plastic sheets and cooking utensils, and provide the injured with rehabilitation care, psychological support, and other forms of assistance."

HI regularly works with people affected by natural disasters in the Philippines, including by enhancing the disaster preparedness and resilience of communities. Among other activities, we launched a large-scale response following the passage of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, which affected more than 14 million people and claimed more than 6,000 lives. Learn more about our work in the Philippines.