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Philippines: Typhoon Haiyan Action Plan November 2013

Countries
Philippines
Sources
HCT Philippines
+ 1 more
Publication date

OVERVIEW

(12 November 2013 OCHA)

SITUATION

On the morning of 8 November, category 5 Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) made a direct hit on the Philippines, a densely populated country of 92 million people, devastating areas in 36 provinces.

Haiyan is possibly the most powerful storm ever recorded. The typhoon first made landfall at Guiuan, Eastern Samar province, with wind speeds of 235 km/h and gusts of 275 km/h. Rain fell at rates of up to 30 mm per hour and massive storm surges up to six metres high hit Leyte and Samar islands. Many cities and towns experienced widespread destruction, with as much as 90 per cent of housing destroyed in some areas. Roads are blocked, and airports and seaports impaired; heavy ships have been thrown inland. Water supply and power are cut; much of the food stocks and other goods are destroyed; many health facilities are not functioning and medical supplies are quickly being exhausted.

Affected area: Regions VIII (Eastern Visayas), VI (Western Visayas) and VII (Central Visayas) are hardest hit, according to current information. Regions IV-A (CALABARZON), IV-B (MIMAROPA), V (Bicol), X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao) and XIII (Caraga) were also affected. Tacloban City, Leyte province, with a population of over 200,000 people, has been devastated, with most houses destroyed.
An aerial survey revealed almost total destruction in the coastal areas of Leyte province.

Affected population: An estimated 11.3 million people in nine regions—over 10 per cent of the country’s population—are affected.
At least 673,042 people are displaced by the typhoon (55 per cent are in evacuation centres, the rest in host communities or makeshift shelters). Thousands of people have been killed or are still missing.
Tens of thousands suffering from injuries, with the number of confirmed casualties still rising as more areas become accessible.
Pre-disaster poverty levels and malnutrition rates in Regions VI, VII and VIII were already higher than the national average.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.