Return to listing
Stamford, Conn. – July 26, 2023 – The Americares team in the Philippines is preparing to provide medical care to survivors of Typhoon Doksuri. A mobile medical team will soon depart Manila to provide essential primary health care services in Isabela province where flooding has left roads impassable.
Thousands were evacuated in advance of the storm, known locally as Egay, due to concerns it could bring dangerous flooding, landslides, and storm surges up to 10 feet high. The local weather authority in the Philippines reported maximum wind gusts up to 149 mph—the equivalent of Category 4 hurricane—shortly after landfall on Fuga Island in the northern Philippines early Wednesday morning. The Cagayan and Isabela provinces are expected to experience the heaviest impact from the storm, as well as the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon, the largest and most populous island in the Philippines.
“The most populous areas avoided a direct hit, but with another two days of rain in the forecast we are bracing for more flooding and landslides,” Americares Philippines Country Director Paul Pagaran said from Manila. “Communities will be cut off from care and will need help providing essential health services, including treatment for waterborne diseases. Our response team is ready to deploy as soon as it’s safe to travel.”
Americares is also planning to distribute hygiene kits to people displaced by the storm.
Americares has been providing assistance to the Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone countries, for more than 20 years. Americares established a base of operations in Manila after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 to be able to respond more quickly to disasters and strengthen health care for families in need. The Americares Philippines team also provides ongoing support to local health centers, which are often the only source of care for thousands of people.
Americares responds to more than 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters. Americares maintains a constant state of readiness, so we can respond quickly when disaster strikes. Our relief workers are often among the first to respond to emergencies, helping to restore health services for survivors.
Donations to Americares Worldwide Disaster Relief Fund will support its response to the typhoon and other emergencies.