Singapore Red Cross Extends Humanitarian Aid To Multiple Disasters Across Southeast Asia

RELIEF MISSION DEPARTS TOMORROW
FIRST TRANCHE OF AID TO THE PHILIPPINES, LAOS, CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is leading relief efforts to Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam following the widespread devastation caused by recent tropical storms and typhoons, and most recently, the earthquake in Bohol, Philippines.

On Friday, a team of Red Cross relief volunteers will leave for both Bohol and Cebu islands, where there have been hundreds of aftershocks since the 7.2 magnitude earthquake. (Refer to details in Annex)

The Singapore Red Cross will also send a first tranche of relief items worth $100,000 for the earthquake survivors in the Philippines. The relief items include food, basic hygiene and medical supplies.

More than a million people have been affected by the storms and floods in Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam. Weather predictions indicate that there could be continued flooding in these countries as more major storms are expected to continue to deposit heavy rains across the region. The Singapore Red Cross will provide S$90,000 worth of relief items in daily essentials to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (S$30,000 each) for the communities affected by the storms.

The Singapore Red Cross has launched a public appeal for the ‘Southeast Asia Emergencies’ and is receiving donations at its headquarters.

“The consecutive news of disasters that have hit Southeast Asia over the past month is saddening. The Singapore Red Cross has been monitoring and analysing the situation and is coordinating with our sister Red Cross national societies for the appropriate humanitarian action. It is clear that given the level destruction, more help is urgently needed,” said Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General of Singapore Red Cross. “As always, we hope that the public will donate generously to help the communities affected by these disasters.”

Sharing his thoughts at the Southeast Asia Launch of the 2013 World Disasters Report earlier this morning, Mr Tee Tua Ba, Singapore Red Cross Chairman said, “While Singapore is not home to natural disasters, our people respond generously to our appeals, allowing the Singapore Red Cross to embark on rapid disaster response, mid-term recovery and long-term rebuilding to affected communities around the globe. We will continue to press on in the effective and efficient delivery of relief assistance to those in need.”

How to Donate

With the situation worsening, your donations will help bring urgent aid to relieve suffering.

Cash/ Cheque

You can visit the Red Cross House at 15 Penang Lane Singapore 238486, on weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm to donate cash, or post your cheque to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’ at the above address. Please indicate ‘Southeast Asia Emergencies’ on the back of the cheque, along with your name, contact no. and address.

AXS Station

Donations to SEA Emergencies appeal can be made through AXS Stations from 24th Oct to 15th Dec 2013. For the different AXS Stations in Singapore please click here.

DBS iBanking

Login to DBS iBanking
Select “Payment Services” on the left navigation panel
Select “Bill Payment” on the left navigation panel
Select the following from the droplist: “SEA Emergencies 2013“
Enter your telephone number as the Bill Reference Number
Select the deposit account to debit
Enter the donation amount
Select “Confirm” to complete the transaction

DBS/POSB ATM

Insert your ATM card and enter PIN when prompted
Select ” More Services” and language
Select “Credit Card/Bill Payment”
Select from the billing corporation list “SEA Emergencies 2013“ (Press 99 to go to the next page, repeat and you will see the desired name)
Enter your telephone number as the Bill Reference Number
Select your account type to debit the donation
Enter the donation amount
Select “Confirm” to complete the transaction

For any public appeals, the Singapore Red Cross will not deduct more than 5% of the funds raised to cover appeal costs. Should the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the immediate and rehabilitation needs of the people in the affected areas, Singapore Red Cross will direct the excess funds to other emergency preparedness and/or community programmes initiatives for disaster affected communities.

How to Volunteer

The Singapore Red Cross welcomes volunteers to man its hotlines and fund collection booths. Please register with the volunteer team at 6664 0500.

Annex: Recent Disasters in Asia – At a glance

Country	Disaster	Impact (as of 17 Oct 2013)
Philippines	Earthquake 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol and Cebu Islands of Philippines on 15th October 2013 around 0800hrs. There were more than 700 aftershocks were recorded, 12 of which are felt.	Death: 144 Injured: 291 Affected Communities: 3M (778,526 – Bohol and 2,225,905 – Cebu) Displaced: 37,424
Philippines	Flood/Typhoon Monsoon rains exacerbated by Typhoon Usagi have caused flash flood and landslides in Philippines since 22 September 2013, affecting 600,000 people. The flooding in Zambales comes seven weeks after Typhoon Utor struck the Province and back-to-back worsened by monsoon rains induced by Tropical Storm Trami. More recently Typhoon Nari (locally called ‘Santi’) battered Northern Philippines on Friday night – 11 October 2013, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rains. Nari made landfall in Aurora province leaving several areas without power, damaging roads and homes.	Typhoon Nari Death: 15 Injured: 32 Affected Population: 871,601 Displaced: 71,628
Vietnam	Flood/ Typhoon Monsoon in Vietnam are worsened by Tropical Depression 18. Typhoon Wutip made landfall on Vietnam’s Central coast after 5pm on 30 September 2013 packing wing up to 103km per hour. More than 200,000 homes were damaged and 13 people killed. While communities are trying to recover from the devastating consequences of the recent storm, another Storm, Tropical Storm Nari, made landfall in Central Vietnam with packing winds of up to 133 km, killing 5 people and causing widespread damage. Assessment of the extent of the damage still ongoing.
Cambodia	Flood In Cambodia, the death toll from floods since mid-September stood at 134 as last Monday, nearly half of them children, according to the National Disaster Management Committee. During the first week of October, the number of affected and evacuated households has increased in most provinces. More than 26,000 families have been evacuated, while thousands of schools and more than sixty health facilities have been flooded. Almost 377,000 households have been affected. Weather predictions indicate that there could be continued flooding as another major storm made landfall in central Vietnam and could deposit heavy rains across northern Cambodia.	Death: 134 Affected: 1,737,305 Displaced: 119,678
Laos	Flood/Flash Flood Unusually heavy monsoon rains, exacerbated by tropical storms, have caused widespread flooding in more than 60 percent of Lao PDR from late June through August. In September tropical depression brought further heavy rainfall in the Southern province causing the worst flooding in that area for 35 years. Heavy rain since mid-Sep caused floods and flash floods, affected more than 350,000 people The monsoon season is not yet over and more rainfall in the coming weeks can still have impact on the situation.

(Date: 17 October 2013)