Typhoon Hagupit came ashore on eastern Samar island just before 10 p.m. (9 a.m. ET). It brought with it winds of over 205 kph (127 mph) and battered the area with heavy rains. Having been downgraded from a “super typhoon” to a “category 3” storm as it weakened during its journey westward, Hagupit’s largest threat is likely its rainfall.
Because Hagupit is moving slowly, it will likely take about three days for the storm to completely travel across the country. About 600 kms wide in size, the storm will dump a large amount of rain as it moves and will potentially cause severe flash flooding as well as mudslides. The rain is not expected to end until after the typhoon crosses over the capital city of Manila and eventually moves out to sea.
“Our hearts ache for the people in the path of the typhoon. We are praying that people who are affected will be protected and spared.”
Perhaps most at risk this weekend is the city of Legazpi, just north of where Hagupit made landfall. It is predicted that a storm surge of up to 4 meters (13 feet) in height could reach this coastal city and cause extensive damage.
The winds of the storm are also problematic. In Tacloban, Guiuan and Dulag where World Renew has been working in response to Typhoon Haiyan, the electricity has already been cut off by the storm, galvanized iron sheets from roofing and other debris has been reported to be flying around, and the internet connection might be shut down at any time.
Tacloban bore the brunt of last year’s Typhoon Haiyan. In the wake of this year’s storm, the streets are empty. Following government warnings and with assistance from World Renew and the Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines (CRC-P), people were evacuated from their homes and made plans for dealing with any fall-out that the storm caused.
In advance of the storm, World Renew staff prepared first aid kits, charged cell phones, fueled vehicles and moved office equipment and other documents to safe locations. They ensured that supplies from the on-going reconstruction effort were safely secured in warehouses.
World Renew staff also made sure that people in each of the barangays or villages where they had been doing a Typhoon Haiyan response had identified safe shelters where people could go to wait out the storm. In Hagna, Paon, Canabajan, Palaguiuan, and Plandico the 231 typhoon-resistant homes constructed by World Renew are now acting as evacuation shelters for the rest of the community. In the inland barangays of Dulag, the elderly, children and persons with disabilities were taken to two typhoon-resistant day care centers that were built by World Renew. Other families were directed to the 38 houses that World Renew had retrofitted to be safe during storms like this one.
World Renew staff that stayed in Tacloban have gathered to pray. World Renew’s Program Manager also met with the CRC-P to plan out the logistics of providing assistance to those who will be affected by the typhoon.
“Our hearts ache for the people in the path of the typhoon. We are praying that people who are affected will be protected and spared,” says Wayne de Jong, World Renew’s Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation.
Please pray for the people of the Philippines, and pray for World Renew’s staff and partner organizations as they prepare to respond to the multitude of needs that will soon arise. Donations are also requested so that World Renew can, once again, provide significant support and show God’s love to disaster-affected families in the Philippines.
