Storm Fung-wong: Philippines faces second tropical cyclone in as many weeks
Millions of people across the Philippines are bracing for a tropical cyclone to make landfall, a week after another cyclone struck the country, leaving devastation in its wake.
Cyclone Fung-wong (known locally as Uwan) ¨C with a diameter of 1,400 km, ¨C is expected to make landfall on Monday.
¡°We know from experience that supporting vulnerable populations before a storm strikes helps to save lives and is much more effective and cost-efficient,¡± said Regis Chapman, Country Director for the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (WFP) in the Philippines.
¡°With Fung-wong expected to hit the country as a super typhoon soon, WFP, in partnership with the Government, is delivering cash assistance to 31,000 households ¨C serving more than 157,000 people ¨C in the provinces of Aurora, Cagayan, and Isabela in northern Luzon.¡±
He added: ¡°People in soon-to-be impacted communities are preparing by securing their boats, stocking up on food and medicines, and getting ready to shelter in place over the next few days.¡±
In September, the Philippines, with technical support from partners such as WFP, enacted a law empowering the Goverment to take anticipatory actions on the basis of forecasts and risk assessments.
For the past three years, the country has been ranked as the in the world, experiencing frequent devastation from floods, typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Last week, thousands of families in the Central Philippines ¨C in the provinces of Cebu and Southern Leyte, as well as elsewhere ¨C lost their homes, livelihoods, and access to basic services when Cyclone Kalmaegi struck.
More than 525,000 people were displaced and 8,700 homes were damaged or destroyed, with reports of 153 deaths and 86 people missing, mostly in Cebu.
The Government has declared a national state of calamity. Air and sea traffic have been significantly disrupted, stranding thousands of people, while power outages and damaged transmission lines have led to widespread network service interruptions.
Known locally as Tino, Kalmaegi delivered a month¡¯s worth of rain in a single night.
Preliminary assessments in Cebu Province indicate that tens of thousands ¨C particularly families forced to seek refuge from the storm ¨C urgently require food, water, and shelter.
Altogether, more than 2.4 million people were affected, compounding the impacts of two recent earthquakes.
At the request of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, WFP has mobilized 60 trucks to transport over 265,000 family food packs, enough to support 1.3 million people across Caraga, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
WFP has also deployed generators, temporary warehouses, and warehouse equipment to support the Government¡¯s response efforts.
Country Director Regis Chapman said:¡°WFP remains committed to supporting long-term preparedness and recovery efforts through our longstanding partnership with the Government of the Philippines.¡±