BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami
Fact Sheet #3, Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 October 14, 2009
Note: The last fact sheet was dated October 8, 2009.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
•
On October 14, Tropical Storm Ketsana made landfall in Vietnam, bringing heavy rain to five northern provinces.
The Government of Vietnam (GoV) pre-emptively evacuated nearly 30,000 people; however, the GoV National
Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts the storm will weaken before causing severe flooding.
•
An October 13 USAID/OFDA charter flight delivered relief items, including 20,064 hygiene kits, 50,060 bars of
soap, and 20,400 10-liter collapsible water containers, to Manila to support relief efforts in the Philippines, in
coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Manila and Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GoRP)
authorities. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) received the commodities and plans to deliver the
assistance to more than 20,000 flood-affected families.
•
The U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes
arrived in Manila on October 12 to meet with GoRP officials and observe humanitarian response activities during a
two-day visit. On October 13, Holmes announced that, based on ongoing needs assessments, the U.N. would revise
and possibly increase a $74 million flash appeal to aid storm-affected populations.
•
A USAID/OFDA field officer deployed to Samoa joined staff from the U.S. Embassy in Apia on an October 10
assessment of tsunami-affected Upolo Island that included interviews with Government of Samoa officials, non-
governmental organization (NGO) staff, and local communities.
•
On October 7, USAID/OFDA provided $100,000 through USAID/India to meet the immediate needs of affected
populations, in accordance with a disaster declaration and request from U.S. Ambassador Timothy G. Roemer.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
Country
Estimated Affected Population
Source
India
247 dead; 2 million affected
UNICEF
1
– October 7, 2009
Laos
16 dead; 37,500 displaced; 170,000
affected
U.N. Laos Country Team – October 11,
2009
Philippines
712 dead; 300,373 displaced; 7,457,664
affected
NDCC
2
– October 14, 2009
Samoa
142 dead; 4,500 affected
IFRC
3
– October 11, 2009
Tonga
9 dead; 470 affected
OCHA
4
– October 10, 2009
Vietnam
163 dead; 29,995 evacuated
IFRC – October 13, 2009
FY 2009 AND FY 2010 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING TO DATE
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to India for Floods................................................................................$100,000
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Laos for Floods ..................................................................................$50,000
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Philippines for Storms and Floods .............................................$3,096,491
5
DoD
6
Humanitarian Assistance to Philippines for Storms and Floods .................................................................$827,581
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Samoa for Tsunami ........................................................................$350,000
7
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Tonga for Tsunami .......................................................................... $50,000
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Vietnam for Typhoon ......................................................................$600,000
Total USG
8
Humanitarian Assistance to Asia and Pacific for Storms, Floods and Tsunami...........................$5,074,072
1
U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
2
GoRP National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
3
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
4
U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
5
This amount includes nearly $2.7 million of USAID/OFDA’s FY 2010 allocation of $3.8 million for emergency grants to date, as well as the
USAID/OFDA FY 2009 contribution in response to the storms. The remaining funds from the FY 2010 allocation to date will be awarded to
humanitarian organizations based on ongoing assessments.
6
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
7
This amount does not include an additional $750,000 USAID/OFDA allocation for Samoa announced October 8.
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami – October 14, 2009
CURRENT SITUATION
•
As of October 14 at 1100 hours Eastern Daylight Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) located the
center of Tropical Storm Parma overland in Vietnam, approximately 52 miles east-southeast of Hanoi. Parma is
rapidly diminishing in strength as a tropical storm. The JTWC forecasts that the storm will dissipate within 24 hours
after bringing heavy rainfall to northern Vietnam.
India
•
As of October 7, UNICEF reported that floods had affected approximately 2 million people in the southern Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka states, killing 247 individuals. On October 8, a U.N. Country Team in India indicated that
floods had displaced approximately 1.05 million people to relief camps and damaged or destroyed more than 370,000
houses.
•
On October 13, Sphere India reported that Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka state governments foresee increased
flooding if the region experiences heavy October to December post-monsoon rains. The report indicated that flood
waters in much of the affected areas remain standing.
•
The Indian Red Cross Society (IRSC) had distributed 2,500 stoves, 2,000 blankets, and 2,000 kitchen sets to the
Karnataka State IRSC branch as of October 8 and planned to deploy water and sanitation units capable of producing
5,000 liters of water per hour to affected areas. UNICEF distributed 10,000 collapsible water containers and 25
water tanks to Mahbubnagar District, Andhra Pradesh, and the U.N. Population Fund had dispatched 24,000 dignity
kits containing clothing and hygiene items to flood-affected individuals as of October 8.
Laos
•
According to an October 11 U.N. Laos Country Team report, Typhoon Ketsana’s impact on five southern provinces
included an estimated 170,000 people affected, 9,602 households displaced, 16,279 livestock killed, and 825 houses
and approximately 28,500 hectares of cropland damaged.
•
On October 11, the U.N. announced plans to conduct a needs assessment to provide the basis for a joint appeal for
humanitarian aid to Laos following Typhoon Ketsana, scheduled for issuance in the next two to three weeks.
•
On October 9, the Government of Laos (GoL) Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a press conference to appeal for
international assistance and report on assessed damages and needs determined during the GoL initial emergency
response efforts.
•
The U.N. activated emergency clusters in Laos on October 9. As of October 11, UNICEF had provided financial
assistance for a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assessment in Sekong Province, pre-positioned WASH
items in the capital, Vientiane, and distributed 1 million chlorine tablets and 15,000 bars of soap. Additionally, the
U.N. World Food Program (WFP) had delivered 150 metric tons (MT) of food assistance to affected populations,
and the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Laos National Center for Laboratory and
Epidemiology in implementing disease outbreak surveillance and response.
Philippines
•
According to NDCC, Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy) and Typhoon Parma (Pepeng) have affected more than
7.4 million people, leaving 712 individuals dead, more than 300,000 people displaced in shelters, and more than
137,000 houses damaged or destroyed as of October 14.
•
Tropical Storm Parma departed the Philippines on October 9 after making landfall twice in northern Luzon Island,
bringing heavy rains to a larger area than meteorologists initially anticipated. The October 14 Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecast indicates that central and southern
Luzon and the Visayas island group will likely experience rain showers and thunderstorms in the next 24 hours that
could trigger flashfloods and landslides.
•
Tropical Storm Parma’s second landfall particularly affected Region I and Cordillera Administrative Region,
northwest Luzon, where landslides were the primary cause of death. On October 11, the GoRP Department of
Science and Technology reported that floodwaters had begun receding in northern provinces. However,
humanitarian agencies indicated that floodwaters may remain standing in the Manila and Lake Laguna areas through
December.
•
As of October 11, U.N. Health Cluster members, including a Médecins Sans Frontières medical team, were
responding to a rise in acute watery diarrhea cases in San Pedro municipality, located southeast of Manila. WHO
had provided 20 diarrheal kits, sufficient for treating up to 10,000 cases of the illness, to the GoRP Department of
Health and NGOs providing emergency health services in affected areas.
8
U.S. Government
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami – October 14, 2009
Samoa
•
The September 29 earthquake and associated tsunami in the Pacific killed 142 people in Samoa, and approximately
1,000 individuals remain displaced, according an October 11 IFRC report.
•
On October 12, a USAID/OFDA field officer in Samoa stated that the tsunami had destroyed between 50 and 100
percent of fales, traditional open-air shelters, in affected villages. The field officer recommended the provision of
plastic sheeting and construction tools to aid residents in rebuilding fales before the onset of the November to April
rainy season, as well as hand-operated warning sirens to mitigate the impact of future disasters.
•
The field officer reported that water mains along primary roads continue to provide safe drinking water; however,
tests detected pathogenic coliform bacteria at taps in individual fales, indicating risk of water-borne disease. The
field officer recommended a thorough water quality survey in affected villages.
•
In coordination with the Samoan Water Authority, the Samoan Red Cross Society (SRCS) water tankering
continues. The Samoan Ministry of Health has dispatched environmental health officers to conduct WASH
awareness campaigns in affected areas.
Tonga
•
The September 29 Pacific tsunami most seriously affected the northern Tongan island of Niuatoputapu, located 400
miles north of the capital, Nuku’Alofa. As of October 10, the tsunami had caused nine deaths and damaged or
destroyed 225 houses, along with public buildings and water and sanitation systems, according to OCHA.
•
OCHA reported that emergency relief needs had nearly been met as of October 10. The Government of Tonga
indicated that it plans to release an early recovery plan this week, officially transitioning out of the emergency relief
phase.
Vietnam
•
As of October 13, Typhoon Ketsana and associated flooding have killed 163 people, injured 629 individuals,
destroyed 21,611 houses, and flooded 294,711 others, according to IFRC.
•
In addition to evacuating 29,995 individuals in preparation for Tropical Storm Parma, on October 13 the GoV
instructed local authorities to prohibit ships from leaving harbor and to report on the number of ships remaining at
sea in provinces in the storm’s path. The GoV also placed 2,900 soldiers on standby to assist in potential
emergency evacuations.
•
As of October 12, WHO recorded 32,000 cases of skin disease, 4,200 influenza cases, 1,300 conjunctivitis cases,
and 335 diarrhea cases in Ketsana-affected Quang Nam Province. In the central Vietnamese city of Danang, WHO
reported that 300 people per day have received treatments for infectious diseases–10 times the usual rate.
•
Floodwaters in the wake of Typhoon Ketsana have receded in many communities, but drinking water sources
remain contaminated, according to IFRC, which is distributing water purification tablets as part of household kits.
The GoV Ministry of Health has distributed water treatment chemicals to households to clean wells. However,
persistent power cuts, which IFRC reports could continue another three weeks, have rendered water pumps and
other common water delivery systems unusable.
•
The GoV plans to release 10,000 MT of rice for distribution in flood-affected provinces. The IFRC stated that
further food assistance will be necessary to avoid a food shortage due to damage to seeds and fields, which experts
predict will delay the next harvest.
USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
India
•
On October 7, U.S. Ambassador Timothy G. Roemer issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of floods
following a week of heavy rains that began September 29. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $100,000 through
USAID/India to meet the immediate needs of affected populations.
Laos
•
On October 1, U.S. Ambassador Ravic R. Huso issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of floods caused by
Typhoon Ketsana. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 through the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane to the Lao
Red Cross Society (LRCS) to help meet immediate emergency needs of flood-affected populations.
Philippines
•
On September 28, U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of Tropical
Storm Ketsana. In response, USAID/OFDA provided an immediate $100,000 through USAID/Philippines to the
Philippines National Red Cross (PNRC) for the local purchase and delivery of emergency relief supplies. Funding
also supported cleanup efforts focused in the Manila metropolitan area.
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami – October 14, 2009
•
On October 8, USAID/OFDA increased its allocation to $3.8 million for emergency grants to humanitarian assistance
organizations, including $500,000 to WFP to support special relief operations, under a joint U.N. flash appeal,
$500,000 to the American Red Cross (AmRC), $150,000 to IOM, and $100,000 to PNRC. The $3.8 million
allocation also includes plans announced October 13 to provide $395,014 to the Adventist Development Relief
Agency (ADRA), $248,081 to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), $222,953 to Samaritan’s Purse, $175,947 to World
Vision/US, and $300,000 to Save the Children/US (SC/US). The remaining funding will be programmed based on
ongoing assessments.
9
•
On October 2 and 13, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Manila and GoRP authorities, two USAID/OFDA
charter flights delivered emergency relief items, including 340 rolls of plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, 50,060
bars of soap, 23,424 hygiene kits, and 23,734 10-liter collapsible water containers. PNRC received the commodities
from the October 2 flight for delivery to 20,000 flood-affected individuals, and IOM received the October 13 items
for distribution to more than 20,000 families.
•
A USAID/OFDA regional advisor deployed to the Philippines from September 29 to October 14 to assess flood
impacts and facilitate USG assistance, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Manila and USAID/Philippines. A
USAID/OFDA field officer remains in-country.
•
In the early stages of the disaster response, DoD Pacific Command provided equipment, transport, and logistics
support, including 10 helicopters and 6 Zodiac boats for search and rescue efforts, to aid storm-affected individuals.
Engineers and medical personnel were also onsite. DoD conducted daily missions in the Manila metropolitan area,
including road clearance and transport of goods and food, as requested by the GoRP and in coordination with
USAID/OFDA and the U.S. Embassy in Manila.
•
From October 9 to 13, DoD assistance included launching search and rescue missions in northern and central
provinces affected by water released from dams, conducting a delivery flight of emergency relief supplies to Batanes
Province, northern Philippines, deploying medical teams, and transporting food and relief supplies to affected areas
by road and helicopter. DoD plans to have completed direct support to the Philippines relief operation as of October
14. A USAID/OFDA field officer deployed with the 3
rd
Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Luzon from October 9 to
13.
Samoa
•
On October 1, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Arnold H. Campbell issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of the
September 29 Pacific tsunami. In response, USAID/OFDA contributed $100,000 through the U.S. Embassy in Apia
to SRCS for the purchase and distribution of relief commodities.
•
In accordance with a request from the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., in Samoa, USAID/OFDA allocated an additional
$250,000 to support tsunami relief and recovery efforts on October 5. On October 8, USAID/OFDA allocated an
additional $750,000 to support disaster recovery activities in Samoa.
•
A USAID/OFDA field officer arrived in Samoa on October 9 to assess needs and facilitate USG humanitarian
assistance, in consultation with the U.S. Embassy in Apia.
Tonga
•
On October 6, U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Tonga, and Tuvalu, C. Steven McGann, issued a disaster
declaration due to the effects of the tsunami. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 through the U.S. Embassy
in Suva, Fiji, to the Tonga Red Cross Society (TRCS) for disaster relief activities.
Vietnam
•
On October 1, U.S. Ambassador Michael W. Michalak issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of Typhoon
Ketsana. In response, USAID/OFDA contributed $100,000 through USAID/Vietnam to IFRC to support Vietnam
Red Cross Society (VRCS) relief operations.
•
USAID/OFDA is providing $500,000 to support Red Cross activities identified under the IFRC emergency appeal.
USAID/OFDA funding supports the distribution of household kits to flood-affected families and the development of a
cash transfer program to allow affected families to purchase emergency and early recovery items locally.
•
A USAID/OFDA regional advisor in Hanoi, Vietnam, visited flood-affected Quang Ngai Province with Red Cross
officials from October 8 to 10 to observe assistance efforts and assess critical needs.
9
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami – October 14, 2009
USAID HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO LAOS FOR TYPHOON KETSANA IN FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
LRCS
Emergency Response Activities
Affected Areas
$50,000
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$50,000
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
USAID HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO INDIA FOR FLOODS IN FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
Implementing Partners
Emergency Response Activities, Emergency Relief
Supplies
Affected Areas $100,000
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$100,000
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO PHILIPPINES FOR STORMS IN FY 2009 AND FY 2010
FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
ADRA
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $395,014
AmRC
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $500,000
CRS
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $248,081
IOM
Humanitarian Coordination and Information
Management
Affected Areas $150,000
SC/US
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Affected
Areas $300,000
Samaritan’s Purse
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $222,953
USAID/OFDA Airlift
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $200,000
WFP
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $500,000
World Vision/US
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $175,947
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$2,691,995
DOD
DoD
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $827,581
TOTAL DOD
$827,581
TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN FY 2010
$3,519,576
FY 2009
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
PNRC
Emergency Relief Supplies
Affected Areas $100,000
USAID/OFDA Airlift
Emergency Relief Supplies, Logistics and
Transportation
Affected Areas $293,709
Administrative Costs
Affected Areas
$10,787
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$404,496
FY 2009 AND FY 2010 HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO DATE
USAID/OFDA
$3,096,491
DOD
$827,581
Asia and Pacific – Storms, Floods, and Tsunami – October 14, 2009
TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR PHILIPPINES TROPICAL STORMS
$3,924,075
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
USAID HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SAMOA FOR TSUNAMI IN FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
Samaritan’s Purse
Emergency Response Activities
Affected Areas
$250,000
SRCS
Emergency Relief Supplies
Affected Areas
$100,000
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$350,000
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
USAID HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO TONGA FOR TSUNAMI IN FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
TRCS
Emergency Response Activities
Affected Areas
$50,000
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$50,000
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
USAID HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAM FOR TYPHOON KETSANA IN FY 2010
Implementing Partner
Activity
Location
Amount
USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE
1
IFRC
2
Emergency Response Activities
Affected Areas
$600,000
TOTAL USAID/OFDA
$600,000
1
USAID/OFDA funding represents anticipated or actual obligated amounts as of October 14, 2009.
2
Includes funding that may be directed to the IFRC appeal through AmRC.
TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO ASIA AND PACIFIC FOR STORMS,
FLOODS, AND TSUNAMI IN FY 2009 AND FY 2010
$5,074,072
PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION
•
The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations
that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for storms
and tsunami response efforts in East Asia and the Pacific
can be found at
www.interaction.org
.
•
USAID encourages cash donations because they allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in
the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, and warehouse
space); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken
region; and ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.
•
More information can be found at:
o
USAID: www.usaid.gov – Keyword: Donations
o
The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or (703) 276-1914
o
Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at
www.reliefweb.int
.
USAID/OFDA bulletins appear on the USAID web site at
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/