UN says typhoon Rai damage ‘comparable’ to super typhoon Haiyan
DAMAGE to livelihood and infrastructure caused by typhoon Rai, locally known as Odette, is similar to the destruction left by super typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda in 2013, according to a United Nations (UN) agency’s assessment a month after the calamity.
“(T)he sheer extent of the typhoon’s destruction is now all too clear. It damaged infrastructure and livelihoods on a comparable scale to Typhoon Haiyan,” UN Resident Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez said in a statement on Sunday.
At the same time, Mr. Gonzalez noted preparedness measures undertaken such as preemptive evacuation that “saved countless lives.”
At least 406 people were reported to have died and 65 others still missing in the aftermath of Odette, based on the Jan. 16 update from the Philippine national disaster management council. In comparison, about 6,300 people died during Haiyan.
However, the UN official underscored that survivors of Odette, described as the second deadliest disaster to hit the globe in 2021, continue to struggle amid ongoing relief and recovery operations.
“Typhoon Rai pummeled 11 regions of the Philippines… forcing 2.7 million people from their homes, damaging almost 1.4 million houses, and affecting 514 towns and cities, 100 of which still have power outages or no power at all,” he said as he appealed for sustained assistance.
“We need to urgently scale up support to put people on a path to rapid recovery and reconstruction. If we do not, their resilience will be compromised,” said the UN humanitarian coordinator in the Philippines.
The humanitarian community launched on Dec. 24 a six-month response plan that would need a $107.2-million fund.
“One month on, this response is just 39 per cent funded… On behalf of the UN and the Humanitarian Country Team, I call on everyone to support this Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan to complement ongoing national efforts and bring help and hope to the people of the Philippines,” Mr. Gonzalez said.
The Philippine government, private companies and other local entities have so far delivered almost P700 million in relief goods, according to latest data from the disaster management agency. The national government has also released P4.8 billion for cash assistance.
Mr. Gonzalez said the fresh surge in coronavirus cases in the country has also posed mobility and supply chain constraints, among other challenges. — Marifi S. Jara
