Switzerland sends emergency aid to the Philippines

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Operations management of Swiss Humanitarian Aid have decided to send a consignment of emergency aid to the disaster area. The eight-tonne shipment will leave Switzerland on 11 November, and will mainly comprise materials for water treatment and distribution, including several large tanks for drinking water, equipment for disinfection and distribution systems.

The shipment will also include material to cover basic medical care for 10,000 people for three months, which will be provided to existing medical structures (e.g. a hospital affected by the destruction).

Already at the weekend Swiss Humanitarian Aid deployed a team of experts of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit to the disaster area in order to assess the needs of the population affected by the typhoon, with the support of the Swiss embassy in Manila, and initiate Swiss emergency aid in close coordination with national and international partners. The deployment of another five corps members - two water experts and three logisticians - is scheduled for the 12th November.

The Swiss embassy in Manila is also being supported by two members of the FDFA's disaster response pool, who are especially trained in crisis management. They are helping the embassy to assess the situation and the support requirements for Swiss nationals in the disaster area.

Typhoon Haiyan struck on 8 November 2013, taking thousands of lives and affecting millions more. President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer and head of the FDFA Didier Burkhalter have sent their condolences to the people and government of the Philippines.