Evacuations As Bopha Bears Down On Philippines

HUNDREDS of people are fleeing their homes in the Philippines as Typhoon Bopha races towards the islands – reports children’s charity Plan International.

The category four storm – with wind speeds of up to 130 mph - is expected to hit the province of Surigao del Sur on Tuesday morning.

Flashflooding and landslide warnings are in place – while more than 1,600 boat passengers are stranded in ports in Mindanao and Visayas. 

“About 300 residents in the area of Cagayan de Oro living near the riverbanks have voluntarily evacuated to emergency centres as part of the province’s disaster preparedness plan,” says Carin Van Der Hor, Plan International’s Country Director in the Philippines.

“We are also expecting a full blown evacuation of residents in the province of Albay.”

Typhoon Washi ripped through Cagayan de Oro last December, killing 1,200 people and destroying homes and farms.

Plan’s £900,000 response included providing shelter, water and sanitation and school supplies, while training more than 3,800 children in disaster preparedness.

“Plan teams are ready to react to Typhoon Bopha and are preparing relief supplies,” adds Carin Van Der Hor.

“We have staff on the ground in Mindanao positioning 2,500 water kits, 2,500 hygiene packs and 2,500 tarpaulins for emergency shelter.”

“Plan’s focus will be on immediate relief – as well as keeping children safe from harm.”

Plan has worked on disaster-response in the Philippines for the past five years.

For more information on Plan’s work visit www.plan-uk.org

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Rose Foley
Media Officer
Plan UK | www.plan-uk.org

Direct Line: 0203 217 0257 | Switchboard: 0300 777 9777 / +44 (0)20 7608 1311 (Non-UK) | Mobile: 07964 296431 

Notes to editors

1) Plan is a global children’s charity. We work with children in the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future. A future you would want for all children, your family and friends. For 75 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfill their potential by:

·         giving children a healthy start in life, including access to safe drinking water

·         securing the education of girls and boys

·         working with communities to prepare for and survive disasters

·         inspiring children to take a lead in decisions that affect their lives

·         enabling families to earn a living and plan for their children’s future.

 We do what’s needed, where it’s needed most. We do what you would do. With your support children, families and entire communities have the power to move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.

 www.plan.org.uk

2) Plan UK is a member of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation for 14 leading humanitarian aid agencies.

3) We work with children in 50 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.

4) Plan was founded by British journalist John Langdon-Davies in 1937 to rescue orphans and other vulnerable children from the Spanish Civil War.

6) We have over 100,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £24 million a year, and 1 million sponsored children worldwide

7) Sponsorship starts at £15-a-month and, rather than going to individual children and their families, funds projects to improve schooling, health, nutrition and livelihoods across communities.

8) Plan's activities are guided by the principals of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other internationally-recognised human rights treaties, and is informed by the local context and knowledge of the country and region.