Aid assessments are being undertaken by a number of ShelterBox Response Teams (SRTs) across South East Asia after tropical storms and flooding have inundated Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines causing widespread devastation.
An essential process in providing the ShelterBox Solution, SRT assessments identify areas in the greatest need of emergency aid and determine the safest areas to pitch tents and relocate families.
SRT member Jodie Hurt (UK) arrived in the Philippines on 3 October to join Jose Ongkiko (PH) and Abner Tayco (PH) after a second typhoon struck the Philippines within a week. Typhoon Nalgae continued to worsen the flooding and destruction brought by Typhoon Nesat, which had already forced one hundred thousand people from their homes. A further ten thousand families have been affected by the latest typhoon.
Another SRT comprised of Nicolas Ducrocq (FR), Scott Robinson (US) and Steve Gibson (US) are currently in Thailand after the worst flooding in eleven years has struck Thailand, Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Heavy rain has swamped homes, washed away bridges and flooded paddy fields destroying livelihoods.
The Mekong River, which runs through six Asian countries, has been the source of the flooding which is forecast to get even worse within the next few weeks.
A crucial stage
Alf Evans, ShelterBox Operations Manager, says assessments are a crucial stage in deploying disaster relief.
‘The assessments that we are carrying out ensure that all needs are met and we provide aid through the safest and most effective means possible’, he said.
‘We are making sure the most severely affected families have everything they need in these treacherous periods so they can start rebuilding their lives.’
448 ShelterBoxes have already been committed to the region with hundreds more boxes expected to be allocated when the need for more aid has been identified.
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