HUMANITARIAN IMPACTS OF TYPHOON MIRINAE MITIGATED WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 002308 SENSITIVE SIPDIS BANGKOK FOR USAID /OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR A. DWYER USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA R. THAYER USAID W/ FOR ANE/AA AND DCHA/FPP GENEVA FOR N. KYLOH USUN FOR OFDA REP BRUSSELS FOR P. BROWN ROME FOR USAID/OHA H. SPANOS SECDEF FOR SOLIC JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR J3/J4/J5 PACOM FOR J3/J4/J5 NSC FOR P. MARCHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SOCI PREL KPAO SENV EAGR RP SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN IMPACTS OF TYPHOON MIRINAE MITIGATED WITH PREPAREDNESS MEASURES REFTELS: A) Manila 2231 B) Manila 2155 C) Manila 2149 D)Manila 2140 E)Manila 2136 F)Manila 2125 G)Manila 2112 H)Manila 2098 ¶1. Summary. As of November 2, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported that Typhoon Mirinae, locally known as Santi, affected more than 54,600 individuals, leaving 18 dead, nearly 19,400 people displaced, and an estimated 12,800 houses damaged or destroyed. On November 2, USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) staff accompanied GRP and U.N. World Food Program (WFP) representatives on a U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flight over some of the most-affected areas surrounding Lake Laguna, where the team observed significant flooding and destruction. Initial assessments and results indicate that GRP preparedness measures, including pre-positioning disaster response teams and relief supplies, helped mitigate the humanitarian impact of Typhoon Mirinae. However, populations residing in affected areas, as well as individuals residing in areas previously affected by tropical storms in late September and early October, continue to require relief assistance. End Summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. On October 31, Typhoon Mirinae made landfall on Luzon island, causing heavy rainfall and landslides in some areas that were previously affected by Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy),including National Capital Region (NCR) and Rizal and Laguna provinces in Region IV-A. Ketsana, which made landfall on September 26, caused the most extensive flooding the capital city Manila has experienced in more than 40 years, and resulted in the declaration of a national calamity in the capital city and 27 provinces in Luzon. Over the next two weeks, Typhoon Parma (Pepeng) made landfall twice in the northern provinces of Luzon island, also causing significant flooding and damage. ¶3. In total, Ketsana and Parma affected nearly 8.8 million people, leaving 902 people dead, more than 207,000 people displaced in evacuation centers, an estimated 210,000 houses damaged or destroyed. As of October 30, the NDCC reported that nearly 87,500 people remained in evacuation centers as a result of Ketsana and Parma. In addition, standing floodwater continued to hinder the populations' ability to recover from the two tropical storms, even as Typhoon Mirinae made landfall on October 31. -------------- IMPACTS OF TYPHOON MIRINAE -------------- ¶4. As of November 2, the GRP NDCC reported that Typhoon Mirinae affected approximately 54,600 people, leaving 18 dead, six injured, and two missing throughout 14 provinces of regions III, IV-A, IV-B, V, and NCR. Of the total affected population, nearly 19,400 people resided in 103 evacuation centers immediately following the storm. However, on November 2, the NDCC reported that the number had decreased to approximately 13,300 people in 70 evacuation centers. ¶5. According to the NDCC, the typhoon destroyed nearly 2,000 houses, including more than 1,500 in Region IV. In addition, an estimated 11,300 houses sustained partial damage, including more than 4,500 houses located in Region IV and nearly 7,000 others in Region V. U.N. staff report that the humanitarian community has not completed a damage assessment in Batangas Province, Region IV-A, noting that preliminary reports indicate that the typhoon destroyed four bridges in the area. The Philippine Department of Agriculture estimates that Typhoon Mirinae destroyed approximately USD 3.3 million in high-value crops and rice. MANILA 00002308 002 OF 003 ¶6. Prior to Mirinae's landfall on October 31, the GRP implemented contingency measures, including pre-emptive evacuation of more than 115,000 people from Regions IV-A, V, and NCR and deployment of GRP Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) quick response teams in areas along the typhoon's forecasted path. In addition, the government pre-positioned funding and relief supplies, valued at more than USD 4 million. Relief agencies note that these preparedness measures significantly contributed to mitigating the humanitarian impact of Typhoon Mirinae. -------------- USAID/OFDA FIELD VISIT -------------- ¶7. On November 2, USAID/OFDA field staff accompanied the GRP Secretary and Assistant Secretary of DSWD, the WFP Executive Director in the Philippines, and U.N. Logistics Cluster staff on an UNHAS flight to a relief supply staging area in Rizal Province, Region IV-A, and a food distribution in Liliw municipality, Laguna Province, Region IV-A. En route to Rizal Province, the team observed significant flooding and destruction in some of the most-affected areas around Lake Laguna, including Santa Cruz, the capital of Laguna Province. While local authorities expected floodwaters to remain standing in Lake Laguna as a result of Ketsana, U.N. staff reported that the amount of standing flood water had significantly increased compared to levels observed during a flyover of the area prior to Mirinae's landfall. According to U.N. and local government officials, the storm flooded more than 80 percent of Santa Cruz, which has an estimated population of 105,000 people. ¶8. Following the flyover of affected areas, the team traveled to Camp Capinpin, a GRP military base that is serving as a U.N Logistics Cluster staging area for DSWD and U.N. relief supplies. DSWD pre-positioned 280 family food bags for 4,000 families at Camp Capinpin. The team traveled to Liwil municipality, Laguna Province, to distribute a portion of the pre-positioned food stocks. According to the U.N., flooding from Typhoon Mirinae affected approximately 31 of 33 barangay, the Philippines' smallest administrative unit, in Laguna Province. Local government officials reported that two landslides in the distribution area affected an estimated 6,000 individuals. USAID/OFDA staff note that the food distribution appeared well-organized and orderly, reporting that each beneficiary family was pre-registered and waiting in line to receive a food pack. ¶9. In discussions with USAID/OFDA staff, the Provincial Governor of Laguna, who joined the team in Liliw, reported that top priorities in the province include rehabilitation and health. Regarding health assistance, the governor specifically mentioned the need to mitigate the spread of leptospirosis--a rare, contagious bacterial infection that has affected nearly 3,000 people in flood-affected areas. According to health officials, affected individuals are contracting the disease from standing floodwater contaminated with bacteria. A team of experts from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) is currently in country assessing the situation. ¶10. During the trip, the DSWD Secretary noted that support from the U.N. Logistics Cluster remains invaluable to relief efforts in the Philippines, noting that some affected populations would remain inaccessible without assistance from the cluster. USAID/OFDA has provided USD 500,000 to WFP to support logistics and transport of humanitarian relief. -------------- U.S. Government Assistance -------------- ¶11. In fiscal year (FY) 2009 and to date in FY 2010, the U.S. MANILA 00002308 003 OF 003 Government (USG) has provided nearly USD 5.3 million to assist populations affected by tropical storms in the Philippines, including nearly USD 3.3 million in USAID/OFDA funding, more than USD 827,000 in assistance from the U.S. Department of Defense, and USD 1.2 million from USAID's Office of Food for Peace. ¶12. In FY 2010, USAID/OFDA allocated USD 3.8 million for emergency grants to humanitarian organizations in the Philippines. To date, USAID/OFDA has provided nearly USD 2.86 million of the FY 2010 allocation, with plans to program the remaining funds based on ongoing assessments. On October 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced plans to provide USD 8.5 million in food assistance to affected populations in the Philippines through USDA's Food for Progress Program. Post, in conjunction with USAID/OFDA, continues to monitor the situation. USAID/OFDA is prepared to provide additional assistance, if needed. Kenney