The strongest typhoon in the world this year, and possibly the most powerful ever to hit land, battered the central Philippines on Friday, November 8, 2013. There are estimates that it could be the most damaging storm of the past century. World Renew is responding in cooperation with its local partners and the international network the Integral Alliance.

While the Philippines experiences numerous typhoons each year, today’s Typhoon Haiyan is being called a “super typhoon” and has caused damage that is much more extensive than most typical storms. Approximately twelve to eighteen million people will be affected. Millions of people have already fled to safer ground or to relocation areas.

“Haiyan is the strongest Typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2013,” said Wayne de Jong, World Renew Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation. “While it is still too early to know the full extent of the damage, it could be the most damaging storm of the past century, with devastation matching or surpassing that of Typhoon Bopha which ravaged the Philippines in 2012.”

Super Typhoon Haiyan is the 25^th tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year. It is currently bringing heavy to torrential rains to 33 provinces in Visayas, Bicol and northern Mindanao. Communities in Cebu and Bohol provinces, which are close to the Typhoon’s track, are still in a fragile state of recovery from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit the area on October 15, 2013.

The aftermath includes destructive cyclonic winds, sheet and flash flooding, landslides and storm surges in the coastal areas. In fact, meteorologists predict that this storm could cause the greatest wind damage any place on Earth has endured from a tropical storm in the past century.

Telecommunication and electricity are interrupted, which has limited the information flow from the affected areas. Air and seaports are all closed.

Fortunately, due to disaster preparedness training, the loss of life wasn’t as great as it could have been. Early warning systems alerted the Filipino government to the storm’s track and potential damage. As a result, 720,000 people were evacuated from their homes in advance of the storm. In addition, national and local governments used their disaster preparedness training to pre-position food packs, water and rescue operations.

“It is such a blessing that improved technology and preparedness plans could save lives in this way,” said de Jong. “Unfortunately, the available resources from the Philippines government will not be adequate to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the affected population. We anticipate that there will be an urgent need for additional food, water, clothing, sleeping materials, temporary shelter, and medicine.”

World Renew will be responding through the Integral Alliance, including our local partners the Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines and Philippine Relief and Development Services, to provide emergency food assistance, temporary shelter and hygiene kits.

Your prayers and financial support for the people affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan, and for World Renew’s response, are urgently needed.