Super Typhoon Rai

ShelterBox is responding in the Philippines after Super Typhoon Rai (known locally as Typhoon Odette) caused widespread devastation. 

Typhoon Rai was the most severe storm to hit the country last year. With gusts of up to 240kmph, the storm was equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.

More than half a million people are still without anywhere to live, and it’s still raining – making recovery efforts event harder.

Damaged communication lines and fuel shortages are making travel extremely challenging. But despite these challenges, we’ve helped more than 5,000 people so far, providing shelter kits, tarpaulins and other essential items.

We have an in-country office in the Philippines and emergency shelter aid stored locally. Our teams will work with Rotarians and local contacts to reach families as soon as possible if our support is needed.

Please give today to help families affected by devastating disasters around the world.

Super Typhoon Rai has left more than half a million people in the Philippines without a home.

Fortunately, families have already started receiving emergency shelter and other aid items like solar lights.

Distributions are led by ShelterBox Operations Philippines with support from our local Rotary contacts. More distributions will be taking place in January, and we’re hoping to reach over 9,000 families in total. We are also planning to deploy a UK team to the Philippines, to help with the response.

Watch as Walter Cang, Rotary Club of Cebu, gives an update from the Philippines.

Super Typhoon Rai has caused devastation in areas with high levels of poverty.

3.8 million people who were in the direct path of the storm are already living below the poverty line.

In the day before landfall, Typhoon Rai rapidly strengthened from a Category 1 to a Category 5-equivalent storm. It made landfall in Siargo and travelled westwards across the Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Palawan.

Eventually the storm is likely to track back to Vietnam.