MANILA—(December 4, 2014)– As Typhoon Hagupit entered the Philippines area of responsibility this morning and is expected to make landfall on Saturday in Eastern Samar, CARE and partners are preparing emergency action plans to assist potentially affected populations. Among the provinces projected to be affected are Eastern Samar, Samar and Leyte, all of which were severely affected by typhoon Haiyan last year.
According to state weather bureau PAG-ASA, Hagupit (locally known as Ruby) was packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kph near the center and gusts of up to 230 kph. The US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has classified Hagupit as a super typhoon, under Category Four but which can intensify into Category Five, same category as super Typhoon Haiyan which devastated the central Philippines in November last year. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) meanwhile declared Hagupit as a violent typhoon, the highest in the weather bureau’s classifications of cyclones.
“CARE is thoroughly monitoring the track of Hagupit, and we have conducted an emergency response meeting with all our partners to set action plans in place. Our teams are ready to make rapid assessments in affected areas in the next 24 hours after Hagupit hits. We will be ready to respond if needed”, said Alex Maclean, CARE Philippines Country Director. “We have just commemorated typhoon Haiyan’s first anniversary, now the people who have gone through so much in the past year and who are just recovering have to prepare for another potential storm impact.”
CARE is also coordinating with the Philippine government and other NGOs as the country braces for the impact of Hagupit. “Our staff and our partners will be on red alert. They are already on the ground providing information on safety and preparedness to communities which have been affected by Haiyan last year and which are now potentially in the path of another strong typhoon. It is important for everyone to exercise great caution and be better prepared to face this newest storm. It is crucial to underscore, however, that where ever Hagupit may hit, CARE and our partners would be ready to respond as needed”, said Maclean.
CARE has worked in the Philippines since 1949, providing emergency relief when disaster strikes and helping communities prepare for disasters. CARE’s past responses in the Philippines have included Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Typhoon Bopha in 2012 and Typhoon Ketsana in 2009.
CARE’s emergency response teams specialize in providing life-saving assistance. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE, which works in 87 countries around the world, places a special focus on women, children and other vulnerable populations, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. In 2012, our emergency response and recovery projects reached nearly 14 million people in 40 countries.
Media Contact: Nicole Harris | +1.404.735.0871 | nharris@care.org
About CARE:
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters.