The Irish Red Cross and Typhoon Haiyan in The Philippines

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ANNE MARIE O’CONNELL of the Irish Red Cross joins Noel McGuinness to talk of their work in The Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Anne says 11 million people are affected across 40 provinces with 500,000 people displaced. Thus far they have confirmed over 2,000 deaths, with that figure expected to increase.

Anne says the Red Cross were working on the ground before the typhoon, preparing for the aftermath. However, the unexpectedly massive scale of the impact has made access a huge problem for organisations on the ground. The severity of the typhoon was out of the ordinary even for a country which frequently experiences typhoon weather. Some 80-90% of buildings in some areas are damaged.

Anne says ongoing help will be needed in the area for months, if not years, in order to rebuild the country.

Anne makes an appeal for cash donations through their website www.redcross.ie

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