When 2013's Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on November 8th, it measured 300 miles across and was one of the world's most intense tropical storms ever to have hit land.
Almost 100 million people populate the islands of the Philippines in the western Pacific Ocean, according to World Bank estimates, and millions living in coastal areas have been affected by the initial destruction and continuing aftermath produced by the super-typhoon, which delivered:
- Torrential rain
- Winds of over 185mph, and
- A storm surge wave of up to 30 feet.
The devastation is on a scale similar to that brought by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean - and the medical aid challenges are similar.
Aid agencies say they have learnt a lot from previous natural disasters - the 2010 earthquake in Haiti included - making them better prepared to provide the most effective response. But what are the medical needs and how exactly are they met?
Medical boats and inflatable hospitals
The Philippine Red Cross estimated that over 1,200 people had been killed, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published on November 10th, but there are reports in the media putting that figure above 10,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment