U.S. Provides Typhoon Assistance to the Philippines

The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced that it will provide $250,000 for emergency grants to the Philippine National RedCross Society and other humanitarian organizations working in the area affected by Typhoon Durian (also know as Typhoon Reming).

The assistancewill help support relief commodities, basic livelihood assistance, road clearing and debris removal.

In addition, USAID is airlifting relief commodities for approximately7,000 families in the Philippines. The airlift includes 7,008 hygiene kits, 250 rolls of plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, and 7,600 water jugs. The value of the commodities, excluding transport, is approximately$130,000.

On November 30 and December 1, Typhoon Durian struck the southern Luzonregion of the Philippines with sustained winds of approximately 120 milesper hour (mph) and gusts of up to 140 mph.

Classified as a super typhoon upon making landfall, the storm affected nearly 1.1 million people in 12 provinces. Torrential rains and mudslides, particularly in the area of the Mount Mayon volcano, killed 425 people, injured over 500 others, and left nearly 600 people missing. According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) of the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), typhoon Durian damaged 108,945 houses and destroyed another 39,955.