Return to listing
Stamford, Conn. – March 15, 2015 – AmeriCares is responding to Cyclone Pam, which has left a path of destruction and dozens feared dead on the South Pacific islands of Vanuatu. The storm – the strongest to make landfall since Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in 2013 – made landfall late Friday night with wind gusts up to 200 mph. Although the full extent of the damage is still unknown, reports indicate thousands of homes are destroyed and emergency shelters are filled with families displaced by the crisis. The president of Vanuatu has made a plea for international help.
AmeriCares is equipping NYC Medics, a disaster relief organization that dispatches professional medical volunteers, as it prepares to deploy a mobile medical team from New York City to Vanuatu. AmeriCares stocks emergency medicine and relief supplies in its warehouses in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis, and launches comprehensive recovery programs that restore health services for disaster survivors. AmeriCares has also offered assistance to humanitarian organizations based in Vanuatu, and is prepared to deploy its own emergency response team, if needed.
“Power outages are hindering communications, particularly in the more remote islands. It could be days before we know the full extent of the damage, but preliminary reports indicate help will be needed,” said AmeriCares Vice President of Emergency Response Garrett Ingoglia. “We are prepared to help meet the immediate and longer-term health care needs.”
AmeriCares has been aiding survivors of natural disasters, political conflict and extreme poverty around the world for more than 30 years, saving lives and restoring health and hope.
Donate Now Read More