The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Typhoon’s impact on Philippines hugely reduced by pre-emptive measures, UN says
Typhoon Goni’s impact on the Philippines last week would have been far worse if not for a widescale evacuation and other damage-mitigation actions taken before the storm hit, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines, Gustavo Gonzalez, said on Tuesday.
“If we take into account the latest from the government in terms of impact on people, the numbers are 25 dead, 399 injured, seven missing. And this relatively small death toll shows that, again, early actions taken by the government to mitigate the impact were very successful”, Mr. Gonzalez told a regular briefing of journalists in Geneva via videolink.
The country has worked hard to improve its early warning systems and preparedness since Typhoon Haiyan claimed over 6,000 lives in November 2013.
“We are learning from Haiyan, and this is an example of resilience building, the importance of these early warnings and this massive, huge pre-emptive evacuation, and this is one of the reasons for the low numbers of casualties”, Mr. Gonzalez said.
“Of course, there is a sentiment of suffering and deprivation, but at the same time people start rebuilding their houses, particularly in the coast, that was the most affected by the by the typhoon. So this is perhaps the positive side of the resilience building. But again, we enter into the season of typhoons, we have La Niña also as a threat.”
On Monday, the United Nations launched a $45.5 million appeal to support some 260,000 disaster-affected people, many of whom were already living in poverty prior to the disaster wrought by Typhoon Goni, which is known locally as Rolly.
“We need to ensure that the least for the coming three months we respond to the needs of the most affected groups. So this is the time we need resources, and we would like to count on your support in making sure that we advocate for this contribution to the response plan in the field”, Mr. Gonzalez said.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Gustavo Gonzalez, Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines: “If we take into account the latest from the Government in terms of impact on people, the numbers is 25 dead, 399 injured, seven missing. And this relatively small death toll shows that, again, early actions taken by the Government to mitigate the impact were very successful.”
- Exterior close-up, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Gustavo Gonzalez, Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines: “We are learning from Haiyan, and this is an example of resilience building, the importance of these early warnings and this massive, huge pre-emptive evacuation, and this is one of the reasons for the low numbers of casualties.”
- Exterior medium shot, United Nations flag flying in the Palais des Nations grounds.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Gustavo Gonzalez, Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines: “Of course there is a sentiment of suffering and deprivation, but at the same time people start rebuilding their houses, particularly in the coast, that was the most affected by the by the typhoon. So, this is perhaps the positive side of the resilience building. But again, we enter into the season of typhoons, we have La Niña also as a threat.”
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations entrance building, low-angle shot.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Gustavo Gonzalez, Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines: “We need to ensure that the least for the coming three months we respond to the, to the needs of the most affected groups. So this is the time we need resources, and we would like to count on your support in making sure that we advocate for this contribution to the response plan in the field.”
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, low-angle shot.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu.,
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO
Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR
Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’
In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.