The Philippines prepare for Super Typhoon Maysak
Our Unicef colleagues in the Philippines are standing by to respond to the needs of children and their families as the latest Super Typhoon Maysak (local name Chedeng) approaches the country.
According to latest reports, Maysak is located at 1,280 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (10.7°N, 137.4°E). It has maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph. (PAG-ASA Weather Advisory April 1, 2015).
Maysak is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the morning of 2 April, Thursday. Its present course indicates a landfall over the Eastern Bicol region.
“Unicef is ready to support the government with pre-positioned emergency supplies from our local warehouses in Manila, Tacloban, and Cotabato once the emergency hits,” said Lotta Sylwander of Unicef Philippines.” In times of disasters, children face the risk of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, violence and disrupted education. Our priority is to ensure that children and their rights and welfare are protected before, during and after disasters.”
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Unicef has pre-positioned essential supplies including water kits, hygiene kits, water purification units, school tents, student and teacher materials, child friendly space tents, medical supplies, nutritional therapeutic food items to combat malnutrition, oral rehydration salts, tarpaulins and generators for at least 10,000 families.
Our colleagues are on standby in Manila, Tacloban and Cotabato City ready to be deployed in rapid assessments as soon as it is safe to travel. Unicef, with the Philippine government, co-leads the joint response in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene; nutrition and child protection.